Egypt Premier Sharaf Says He Favors Delaying Parliament Vote
Egypt’s interim Prime Minister Essam Sharaf said he favors delaying parliamentary elections to allow newly established political parties more time to prepare.
The military, which took power after a popular revolt toppled President Hosni Mubarak in February, plans to hold parliamentary elections in September, followed by a presidential vote this year.
“I see that if we can delay for some time, that this would give the chance for the political landscape to develop a bit more,” Sharaf said in an interview conducted by Egyptian billionaire and politician Naguib Sawiris and streamed on news website masrawy.com. “But as a prime minister I say that if we decide to go ahead with the dates we have, we will exert all efforts to make it successful.”
Some political parties, including Sawiris’ Free Egyptians Party, have called for delaying the elections until security is improved and a new constitution is written. The Muslim Brotherhood, Egypt’s biggest opposition group under Mubarak, has opposed the proposal.
To contact the reporter for this story: Alaa Shahine in Dubai at asalha@bloomberg.net.
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Andrew J. Barden at barden@bloomberg.net.
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