Egypt holds first-ever presidential debate

Egypt has held its first-ever debate between two presidential candidates ahead of the country’s presidential election, which is due later in the month. Former leading member of Muslim Brotherhood Abdel Moneim Aboul Fotouh faced former Foreign Minister and Arab League chief Amr Moussa in a TV debate aired on Thursday, AFP reported. They fielded questions about several issues, including the constitution and presidential powers. Moussa and Aboul Fotouh both agreed that the principles of Islamic law (Sharia) should be the main basis of legislation, but criticized each other’s backgrounds. After Moussa attacked Aboul Fotouh’s record during his time in the Muslim Brotherhood, Fotouh responded by calling his rival a remnant of the ousted dictator Hosni Mubarak’s regime. The debate had originally been scheduled to take place on May 3, but was postponed due to deadly clashes outside the Defense Ministry in Cairo on May 2 and 4. According to opinion polls, the two are expected to be frontrunners in the presidential vote trailed by Mubarak-era Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq. The election is scheduled to be held on May 23 and 24, while a run-off is planned for June 16 and 17 if necessary.