Presidential candidate Hamdeen Sabahy released his extensive political platform on Monday, addressing a myriad of issues facing Egypt. The founder of Al-Tayar Al-Sha'aby presented his platform as three "pillars": freedom enshrined by the democratic system, social justice achieved by complete development, and dignity preserved by national independence. The first part of the 166-page document is split into nine sections that deal with national security, the security apparatus, local governance, the efficiency of state bodies and purging them of corruption, civil society, Al-Azhar, the judiciary, the media, and arts and culture. In his platform regarding economic development, the Nasserist candidate favours increased taxes for upper-class Egyptians and national projects aimed at providing housing for citizens. Sabahy, who finished in third place in the 2012 presidential elections, announced his candidacy for the upcoming poll earlier this month. The group he founded following his 2012 loss, Al-Tayar Al-Sha'aby, officially endorsed him. Earlier this week retired general Sami Anan announced he would also run for president, adding he would detail his candidacy in a press conference. Minister of Defence Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi has not announced that he will run for president, although the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces issued a statement last month "mandating" the top general to run for president, before which he would have to retire from the military. Before he officially announced he would run for president, Sabahy proposed an initiative for potential presidential candidates, expressing hope that its components would be adopted. Many of the aspects of the initiative were detailed in Sabahy's platform on Monday. These points included "liberation from the pressures of the US administration", "safeguarding freedom for peaceful demonstrations, strikes, and sit-ins", and conducting the country's foreign policy in a way to "restore [its] leading role in the Arab nation, the African continent, and the Islamic world."
