Political pressure caused the Wafd Party to back a different candidate for president, presidential aspirant Amr Moussa said Friday after being previously endorsed by the party's executive bureau. Wafd's supreme board ― which has more power than the party's executive bureau ― revealed Wednesday it had chosen to support Mansour Hassan, the head of the ruling military junta's Advisory Council, after holding an internal vote. Moussa said this decision was part of a deal between Wafd and other parties, which he did not specify. The pressure to which some politicians are subject threatens the democratic process, Moussa said. He added that people should make their own decisions and not answer to a minority of influential forces, and stressed that democracy means implementing the will of the people. “The people have to choose their president according to their own preferences, as conspiracies are being plotted against the presidential election,” Moussa said. “But I trust people's awareness and ability to choose.” He added: “In addition to that, the credibility of the election is being threatened, which [requires] the revision of Article 28, because Egypt cannot be an estate for this or that,” Moussa said, referring to the widespread saying that former President Hosni Mubarak had considered Egypt to be his own private estate. Article 28 of the March 2011 Constitutional Declaration states that decisions of the Presidential Elections Commission, which will oversee the upcoming contest, cannot be challenged in court. Hassan enjoys support from a number of political parties, as well as the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, which chose him to lead its Advisory Council. He also served as both the culture and information minister under former President Anwar Sadat. Muslim Brotherhood sources told Al-Masry Al-Youm Thursday that prior to announcing his intention to run for president, Hassan had consulted with Brotherhood leaders regading their potential support for him as a consensus candidate. Translated from Al-Masry Al-Youm
