Presidential elections could offer chance to mobilize opposition

The upcoming presidential elections campaign “offers an opening to mobilise opposition and breathe life into a political scene choked by the civil liberties crackdown,” despite an expected victory for President Abdel Fattah El Sisi, writes Heba Saleh for The Financial Times. “The [campaign provides] an opportunity to debate important issues because people feel there is a lot of injustice,” former MP Mohamed El Sadat says. Presidential hopeful Khaled Ali also said he wants to “force the authorities to ensure the contest will be a real race rather than a charade.” An MP backing El Sisi tells Saleh “the mere fact that Khaled Ali is running is a point in our favour. It is the biggest proof that there is no repression of freedoms in Egypt.”