The news that Ahmed Shafiq, former president Hosni Mubarak's last prime minister, was cleared to run in the second round of presidential elections has come as a surprise to many people both in and outside Egypt.
Egypt’s Supreme Constitutional Court rejected on Thursday the so-called political isolation law barring ex-president Hosni Mubarak’s associates from politics and from running for public office. The court ruled against the law passed by the Islamist-led parliament that sought to bar Ahmed Shafiq, former president Hosni Mubarak's last prime minister, from the vote pitting him against Mursi.
The law was approved in April in a bid to disqualify anyone who served in top government positions in the last decade of Mubarak's rule.
Shafiq, 70, has vowed to “address chaos and return stability,” ensure economic growth, and bring back the flow of foreign investment to the country.
To avoid future upheavals, he has pledged to build a socially oriented economy, launch large scale industrial and construction projects to give jobs to young people.
He is also ready to help farmers, proposing in particular to cancel the debts of those who are on the verge of bankruptcy.
Shafiq is also campaigning as a ruthless fighter against corruption which was a major cause of the January 2011 uprising.
Shafiq has pledged to “save Egypt from the Muslim Brotherhood.”
“The Brotherhood represents the darkness and secrets and nobody knows who they are and what they do,” he said. “I represent Egypt, all of Egypt.”
