It’s now official. Egyptian Field Marshal Abdel Fattah el-Sisi has officially resigned from his post and announced that he will run for president. The elections are scheduled for July.
el-Sisi makes the announcement
According to the Associated Press, he wore military fatigues while announcing that he was resigning to run for president. He said it was the last time he would wear them and that he will “give up the uniform to defend the nation.”
If he is elected, it would serve as a sort of symbolism of the military’s control over the country, particularly in the wake of former President Mohammed Morsi’s ouster. Morsi’s Muslim Brotherhood allies were later banned from the country as well. According to NPR, el-Sisi has already gotten his things together from the defense ministry and is preparing to meet with the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces.
Many expect el-Sisi to win the election. The Egyptian military had been pushing him to run for the post. Also he is credited with overthrowing Morsi, who had appointed him, last July. Also state-run media have showed him in a very positive light because he moved against the Muslim Brotherhood last year.
el-Sisi’s announcement had been expected
The Telegraph reported earlier today that “multiple sources” confirmed that el-Sisi was about to announce his candidacy for president. The announcement was expected in a pre-recorded TV broadcast this evening. At that time, the sources told the website that it wasn’t clear whether he would use the same broadcast to announce his candidacy while also resigning from his post as defense minister.
Previously, el-Sisi was expected to announce his candidacy in January right after the constitutional referendum. That referendum essentially put in motion the military-backed regime’s so-called “road-map to democracy.” Elections for both president and parliament are scheduled to be held by the summer. However, the delay caused some to speculate that he was changing his mind about running because he was concerned about the state of the Egyptian economy and also the many social problems which plague the nation.
