The event is described as the fruit of the revolution
The two front-runners in Egypt's presidential election have traded barbs in an unprecedented televised debate, framing this month's vote as a choice between an Islamist fundamentalist or a holdover from Hosni Mubarak's regime. Amr Mussa, a former Foreign Minister and Arab League chief, squared off with Islamist candidate Abdel Moneim Abul Fotouh for nearly four hours late into the night on Thursday.
Egypt's first-ever televised presidential debate came as polls suggest that Mr. Mussa and Mr. Abdul Fotouh are the leading contenders in the May 23-24 polls.
Eleven other candidates are competing which should mark the end of a tumultuous military-led transitional period since Mr. Mubarak's overthrow in February 2011.
A poll concluded at the end of April by the Al-Ahram Centre for Political and Strategic Studies shows Mr. Mussa ahead with 39 per cent while Mr. Abul Fotouh trails with 24 per cent. Other polls show them neck and neck.
The candidates answered questions from two popular television anchors on issues ranging from the traditional topics of health, employment and education.
But the debate took an increasingly bitter turn as they attacked each other's pasts, with Islamism, identity and affiliation to the former regime dominating the head-to-head.
The pair swapped sharp exchanges, as Mr. Mussa criticised his rival's past with the powerful Muslim Brotherhood, and Mr. Abul Fotouh accused Mr. Mussa of belonging to an oppressive and corrupt regime under Mr. Mubarak.
“You worked for the benefit of one group, the Muslim Brotherhood, not for Egypt as a nation,” Mr. Mussa told Mr. Abul Fotouh, who quit the once-banned group a year ago.
Mr. Abul Fotouh for his part repeatedly highlighted Mr. Mussa's connection to the Mubarak regime.
Keywords: Egypt's presidential election
Your report is fatally erroneous. The picture's caption describes Mr
Fotouh as a "moderate Islamist" while the text in the first para
refers to him as a "fundamentalist Islamist". Kindly amend the report
appropriately.
However I think that the winner has already been pronounced. Mr Moussa
has very little chance of winning - Egyptian democracy is an infant,
hence the "common man" will not understand the difference between
moderates and fundamentalists, but they will not allow a Mubarak relic
to adorn the Parliament, I think. But it does have a chance of boiling
down to the power of rhetoric and public records of the candidates. I
am hoping, fingers crossed that Mr Moussa manages an upset.
Amr Moussa is a candidate of the status quo and very well recognized as one. I doubt if he can garner even 20% support in the first round. Abdul Moneim is an unusual phenomenon, he has been an erstwhile member of the Islamic Brotherhood but is running independently. I believe his real opponent is Mohommad Mursi, the official candidate of the Islamic Brotherhood.
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