First free presidential race starts in Egypt

CAIRO (AP) — Egypt officially started on Saturday the process of holding its first-ever free presidential elections, with the door opening for candidates to submit their applications.

Politicians from the era of deposed president Hosni Mubarak, ex-military officers, and moderate and hardline Islamists are expected to become the front-runners in a vote that is scheduled to start May 23.

The elections follow decades of authoritarian rule, with all of the country's former presidents elevated from the ranks of the military and usually approved by referendum.

Mubarak, who was forced to step down last year after an 18-day mass uprising last year, was elected to his last term in 2005. Those were Egypt's first multi-candidate presidential elections, but they were widely rigged.

The country's ruling military council, which took over power after Mubarak's fall, has pledged to transfer power to elected civilian authorities after the name of the new president is announced in June 21.

The revolutionary youth movement that led the uprising, which performed poorly in the first post-revolution parliamentary elections that ended in January, is concerned the generals will keep their grip on power even after a new president is inaugurated.

Such worries escalated with recent media reports claiming that the military generals ruling the country have negotiated with the Islamist bloc that holds the near-majority of seats in parliament to produce a "consensus president."

The Muslim Brotherhood, the most influential and organized political group, has denied the reports, but this has not quieted the fears that the group would throw its massive backing behind a nominee approved by the generals, who would then presumably steamroller any other candidate.

Two of the top presidential hopefuls, former Arab League chief Amr Moussa and former Prime Minister Lt. Gen. Ahmed Shafiq, have warm relations with the generals.

Moussa, who has popularity among middle class Egyptians, has made cautious statements that appear critical of a political role and privileges for the military, but is still considered a product of the Mubarak era. Shafiq is a former pilot in the armed forces who was forced to resign from his post as a prime minister last year because of alleged ties with Mubarak.

Two other strong candidates, ultraconservative Hazem Abu-Ismail and moderate Islamist Abdel-Moneim Abolfotoh, have frostier relations with the military and are thought more likely to try to deprive the generals of a significant political role after a transition of power.

The ruling military council, whose members were appointed by Mubarak years ago, has been accused of steering a messy transitional period and of trying to discredit and intimidate the revolutionary forces by prosecuting them and heavily cracking down of their protests.

Critics believe that the generals are looking for a president who will preserve their special privileges, mainly no civilian oversight on their budget, and to keep the chairmanship of the Supreme Council of Armed Forces in the hands of a military man rather than a civilian.

The Muslim Brotherhood has not announced yet which of the candidates it will support, but has pledged in the past not to back present or even former Brothers — a stance viewed an attempt by the influential group to assure liberals and secularists in the country and western allies that it doesn't intend to lead Egypt.

Secular-leaning youth revolutionaries will have few prominent candidates reflecting their views. Prominent democracy advocate Mohamed ElBaradei ended his presidential bid in January saying a fair election is impossible under the military's grip.

This leaves the youth movement with few much choices other than human rights advocate Khaled Ali — who lacks ElBaradei's national prominence — and Abolfotoh — who strikes a defiant tone against the generals and has taken some liberal stances, but who still identifies with Islamists and the Muslim Brotherhood and whose overall agenda remains ambiguous.