CAIRO: Egypt's next leader should be in their 40s or 50s, said Mohamed ElBaradei, adding that his personal goal is to help build a democratic Egypt and not to run for president. ElBaradei entered Egyptian politics a year ago after leaving his post as head of the IAEA, the U.N.'s nuclear watchdog. The Nobel Peace Laureate became a vocal critic of former Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak and was welcomed as a reformer and held in high regard by many Egyptians. “My only goal is to see my country transition from the path of oppressive dictatorship to a civilized… and democratic state,” he told al-Jazeera in an interview. “I will of course not nominate myself for the president of the republic by myself,” he added. “I do not desire to be president.” ElBaradei is currently 68 years old. His comments echo earlier statements, which have never completely closed the door on a presidential bid but have insinuated that he might run if others pushed him to do so. When ElBaradei first arrived on the scene of Egyptian politics, he was hailed as a savior by many who believed he had the clout to gather Egypt's traditionally divided opposition groups under one banner to foster political change in Egypt. Since then he has lost some of his support, as young Egyptians want to see a leader who will go to the streets with them, something ElBaradei has refrained from doing. BM
