BEIJING, Jan. 27 (Xinhuanet) -- The Egyptian presidential election will be held before parliamentary polls. Adly Mansour, the country's interim president announced this widely expected change in the country's political transition plan on Sunday. In the capital, Cairo, the decision received mixed reactions from local residents.
A presidential vote to come first. Mansour says the decision is in response to appeals from most political parties.
"I have taken a decision to amend the roadmap of the future by starting with a presidential election, to be followed by parliamentary elections. I will ask the election commission to open the door for presidential candidates to register as stipulated in the constitution adopted.” Mansour said.
Parliamentary elections were supposed to be held first, according to the military-backed road map adopted after the ousting of former Islamist President Mohammed Morsi.
But many say Egypt needs an elected leader to direct government and to forge a political alliance before potentially divisive parliamentary elections.
Mansour’s announcement was met by mixed reactions.
"I think the country needs a strong president more than it needs a parliament. I think it is a good decision."
"We have been waiting for such a decision. We need the country to move on, we need the economy to grow."
"I think that the parliament elections should come first, the majority in parliament then chooses the president."
The change to the roadmap is expected to pave the way for the swift election of army chief, General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. Sisi is expected to announce his candidacy for the presidency within days. But, the change of the roadmap is likely to deepen tensions.
On Saturday, 49 people were killed in clashes between supporters of Morsi and security forces across Egypt, and police arrested more than 1,000 Morsi supporters on charges of rioting.
The violence erupted as the country marked the third anniversary of the toppling of former President, Hosni Mubarak.
(Source: CNTV.cn)
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Egypt to hold presidential elections before parliamentary polls: interim president
CAIRO, Jan. 26 (Xinhua) -- Egypt will hold the presidential elections before the parliamentary polls, interim President Adli Mansour said in a televised speech on Sunday. Full story
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