Presidential hopeful Abdel Moneim Abouel Fotouh on Tuesday said secret deals are being made to produce another Mubarak in the upcoming presidential race, and called on the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces to ensure fair and transparent elections. Speaking to a seminar at Alexandria University, Abouel Fotouh said concerns over the upcoming presidential elections are “legitimate.” “The army should not be lured into politics. It should remain impartial,” he said. “Never interfere in the presidential elections — you must show respect for the military institution that we appreciate and love. You have to stand at an equal distance from all the presidential hopefuls,” Abouel Fotouh said, addressing the Supreme Council of Armed Forces. CNN Arabic quoted a number of politicians and activists late last month as saying they suspected the existence of a deal between Islamist movements, especially the Muslim Brotherhood, and the SCAF, whereby they would support a particular candidate agreed upon by both parties. The suspected deal would ensure the safe exit of SCAF members after power is handed over to a civilian president. Last week, Islamist presidential hopeful Hazem Abu Ismail said that the SCAF is trying to guarantee itself certain protections in Egypt's new constitution while also searching for a "consensus candidate" that all political forces could support. Translated from Al-Masry Al-Youm
