Questions over Presidential Succession in Egypt

The leader of the Muslim Brotherhood, Mohamed Mahdi Akef, released a statement charging Gamal Mubarak, the son of Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak, with leading the Policies Committe of the Egyptian parliament into “all forms of corruption.” The MB initially had not contested Gamal’s entry into politics, but now fear that he will be handed the presidency without a vote.

On Sunday, Al-Masry al-Youm published an editorial from Ali El Sayed discussing a recent informal poll that ranked Ayman Nour as a more likely victor of a presidential election than Gamal Mubarak and a Facebook group’s statement enumerating Gamal Mubarak’s 20 political advantages.  El Sayed sees the internet battle as an organized campaign to force Egyptians to choose between the two rivals.