CAIRO: Heralded by many in Egypt as the potential middle-man between the Islamists and the liberals, Abdel Moneim Aboul Fotouh will be without support from his former colleagues after the Muslim Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) said they would not support his candidacy for president. The FJP chairman Mohamed Morsi said on Monday that his party has no intention of throwing its support for the former Guidance Bureau member in a presidential election possibly next June. However, Morsi did not name Aboul Fotouh specifically in his comments, but the allusion to the former Brotherhood leader was not missed. The Brotherhood earlier this year said they would not field a candidate for Egypt's top job in the first presidential campaign since the ousting of former President Hosni Mubarak. However, Aboul Fotouh declared his candidacy instead, and was subsequently booted from the group. Many observers believed, and many still do, that the Brotherhood and the FJP would still support their former leader, but Morsi somewhat put an end to those notions in comments on the 90 Minutes TV show. “We are not going to support any of the group's defectors [sic] who have decided to run for president,” he said, in obvious reference to Aboul Fotouh. Morsi reiterated that the FJP would not have their own presidential candidate, but is rather seeking one to support. Despite this, he left the issue hanging in uncertainty by adding, “If we want to endorse a presidential candidate with an Islamic frame of reference, why wouldn't we pick a member of the Brotherhood group?” Aboul Fotouh is well liked among both conservatives and liberals, who often view him as a potential savior for the country with his ability to connect with both sides. “I like him and I think he is not corrupt and would support a better Egypt that is free from intolerance and injustice,” said Samar Hamad, a 21-year-old university student. She told Bikyamasr.com that Aboul Fotouh “could be the best thing for Egypt because he is moderate and allows freedom to take precedence over conservatism.” BM ShortURL: http://goo.gl/Ut9aI Tags: Abdel Moneim Aboul Fotouh, Elections, featured, FJP, Muslim Brotherhood, President Section: Egypt, Latest News
