CAIRO - A Foreign Ministry delegation on Monday paid a visit to the premises of the Higher Presidential Elections Commission (HPEC), in order to co-ordinate the voting process for Egyptian expatriates in the presidential elections, which will be held on May 23 and 24. These historic elections are unique on two accounts: they will be the first-ever democratic elections in Egypt and the first after the ousting of Hosni Mubarak, who ruled for three decades. The delegation met with Hatem Bagato, the Secretary-General of the HPEC. Meanwhile, potential presidential candidates continued receiving application forms from the HPEC. On Sunday alone, more than 300 people received forms from the HPEC. Egyptians abroad began to register on the website of the Commission a week ago and will continue to do so until April 4. So far, only about 338,000 people have registered; it is expected that the number will eventually reach 1 million. Mohamed el-Shenawi, a Foreign Ministry official, said that expats will vote between May 11 and 17, adding that the runoffs (if necessary) will be determined later. “The vote counting will start immediately after the voting. If there are runoffs, the process will obviously take longer,” he added. He urged expats to hurry up and register their names – even those who don't have a residence in Egypt. They can register at embassies or consuls or by post. El-Shenawi said that Monday's discussions focused on expats' inquiries about guarantees for fair and transparent presidential elections and the need to avoid technical defects, like those that happened in the recent parliamentary elections. The Egyptian public are critical of the number of candidates – there are already several hundred and there are still about 25 days left for more potential candidates to pick up forms. “Any Egyptian has the right to run as a candidate, but the president should have certain characteristics,” Ahmed Ali, self-employed, told the Egyptian Mail. “I think many of these people are not serious,” Mohamed Ahmed, a physician, 47, told this paper. “Those people are just seeking fame. The conditions for candidacy are difficult and many of the candidates will be unable to meet them.” Candidates have to collect 30,000 signatures from at least 15 governorates or signatures from at least 30 lawmakers. Many presidential hopefuls have been complaining about these tough conditions, describing them as obstacles on the road to the presidency. “I think these conditions are very difficult, especially in the countryside,” presidential candidate Abdel-Moneim Abul Fotouh recently told a TV programme. “Collecting signatures at notary public offices is not that simple.” However, Sameh Seif el-Yasal, a military expert who has resigned from heading the presidential campaign of the head of the Advisory Council, Mansour Hassan, told another TV programme that these conditions are not difficult. “On the contrary, I think they should be more difficult, as the president has to be someone special,” he added. Meanwhile, Al-Wasat Party, chaired by Abul Ela Madi, on Monday decided to form a committee to persuade one of either Abul Fotouh or his rival Mohamed Selim el-Awa to run for the presidency. In its statement on Monday, the party said that it has taken this decision, seeking to unify efforts to rebuild the nation. The party had previously announced that it would support el-Awa in the presidential elections, but, due to political changes and the signatures, the party has now decided to mediate between the two presidential hopefuls. The statement added that the party eyes an Islamic presidential candidate.
