Egypt Candidate Moussa Wants Parliament Vote Delay
Amr Moussa, a leading Egyptian presidential candidate, called Saturday for the delay of parliamentary elections in September until a presidential poll is held or a new constitution put in place.
Moussa, the outgoing Arab League secretary general, said September was too early for a parliamentary election, in which Islamists are expected to make a strong showing at the expense of poorly organized secular groups.
"I am not for a postponement in the democratic process, and I believe it should start before the end of the year, but I think September is too early to hold a parliamentary election," he said.
"It's better to start either with the election of a people's founding committee to put in place a new constitution or to hold a presidential election," he said at a government organized "national consensus" conference.
The military, which has ruled the country since a revolt overthrew president Hosni Mubarak in February, has said the parliamentary poll will be held on schedule in September, followed by a new constitution and then a presidential vote.
The September election is expected to boost Islamists, particularly the well-organized Muslim Brotherhood movement, which has formed a party to contest roughly half of parliament's 508 elected seats.
Secular groups that spearheaded the revolt against Mubarak want the election postponed until they can better organize themselves into parties.
Source: Agence France Presse
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