 | | | From the right Intelligence chief Omar Suleiman, PM Ahmed Nazif, Field Marshal Mohamed Hussein Tantawi, Gamal Mubarak |
DUBAI (Farrag Ismail) Although Egypt’s president, while away for treatment in Germany, delegated his prime minister as the second-in-command, doubts have surfaced over the person actually running the country and who likely is to succeed the president.
As he left to undergo a gallbladder surgery in Germany on March 6, President Hosni Mubarak temporarily handed over his powers to Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif.
But Egyptian media and political observers have pointed to a different man running the nation behind the scenes.
Lt Gen. Omar Suleiman, director of the Egyptian General Intelligence Service, who enjoys considerable influence in Egypt’s political circles, is reported to exercise a tight grip on the situation, the daily independent al-Shorouk reported Sunday.
The paper said Suleiman has gained the full trust of President Mubarak since the intelligence chief saved him from an attempted assassination in July 1995 while attending a conference in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa. |
Intelligence chief Omar Suleiman “He has been a very important man throughout the reign of President Mubarak,” a diplomat told the paper. “He is also widely respected by the Egyptian people. I trust that he is the one who has full control on the situation in the country.”
Suleiman has also been in charge of the Palestinian file for years, mediating between Palestinian factions as well as between the Palestinian Authority and Israel.
Another diplomat, however, argued that Mubarak’s son Gamal has had a powerful say in Egyptian politics, especially with a reform program he tries to promote.
“He could also be internationally accepted if he demonstrated his capability of running an important country like Egypt.”
Both the president and his son have repeatedly denied speculations that Gamal intends to inherit the power from his father. |  | Mohamed ElBaradei In recent weeks, internationally known Mohamed ElBaradei, former chief of the International Atomic Energy Agency, returned to Egypt to a savior’s welcome.
He worked on mobilizing the opposition and called for political change in Egypt starting with a democratic reform of the constitution drawing attention as a strong contender for the presidency, an office which the 82-year old Mubarak has occupied for about 30 years.
ElBaradei formed the National Assembly for Change, whose main purpose is to push for changing the articles in the constitution that hinder establishing a democracy in Egypt.
ElBaradei did not rule out running for the 2011 presidential elections provided that they are fair and transparent. | | Amr Moussa " The new president of Egypt has to be approved by the United States " Moustafa Al Feqqi Meanwhile, Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa has been lately placed in the limelight as a potential next president. Moussa enjoys a wide popularity amongst the Egyptian people and is seen as a veteran politician with close ties with the inner circles of political power in Egypt and in the region.
Moussa has drawn part of his popularity at home based on his open criticism of Israeli policies in the Palestinian territories when he was Egypt’s Foreign Minister between 1991 and 2001.
But Mousa’s perceived anti-Israeli stance may have disqualified him as an international favorite for the next Egyptian president.
“The new president of Egypt has to be approved by the United States,” said Moustafa al-Feqqi, Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee at the People’s Assembly, Egypt’s lower house of Parliament. “This is not the case with Moussa,” | | Political vacuum " It could be someone living in the shadows and not announcing any plans to become president. This is the way that could enable someone to assume control in Egypt " Dr. Mahmoud Khalil While Suleiman, Baradei, Moussa, and Gamal Mubarak are seen by many as possible successors, several observers argue that the political vacuum created since Mubarak assumed power in 1981 made it almost impossible to find a second man, the Egyptian daily independent al-Masry al-Youm reported Sunday.
Usually the vice-president is the first candidate, yet this position disappeared since Mubarak became president, wrote Dr. Mahmoud Khalil in the paper.
“After late presidents Gamal Abdel-Nasser and Anwar al-Sadat died, their vice-presidents took over. This is not the case now.”
Khalil stated that after changing Article 76 of the constitution in 2005, allowing multi-candidate elections for the first time, the post of the vice-president was rendered even more redundant. |
Prime Minsiter Ahmed Nazif Throughout the last three decades, Khalil points out, several people were seen as second men, yet speculations about them changed over time and there has not been one single person looked upon as Egypt’s next president.
Khalil added that the next president is not necessarily someone who makes headlines because in a regime that fears competition, people who announce their intention to be in power usually end up with failure.
“It could be someone living in the shadows and not announcing any plans to become president. This is the way that could enable someone to assume control in Egypt.”
Khalil refuted arguments that Gamal Mubarak is the most likely candidate since being in the limelight does not necessarily mean he has what it takes to rule Egypt.
“The next president is not going a man popular in the media, but rather a man who possesses the keys to ruling Egypt.”
*(Translated from Arabic by Sonia Farid and Edited by Mustapha Ajbaili) |
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