January 28, 2014 | Quote
Egypt to Hold Presidential Vote By Mid-April
Egypt's military-backed government on Sunday declared its intention to hold presidential elections by mid-April, in what authorities described as a milestone on the path to democracy. The move came amid one of the most sustained crackdowns in decades on political opponents of a sitting Egyptian government.
The timing of the vote — now formally set to be held before parliamentary elections — was seen as likely to help key figures in the current administration, particularly army chief Abdel Fattah Sisi, cement their hold on power. Gen. Sisi is the country's de facto leader and is considering a run for president.
Holding the presidential vote first would help the victor forge alliances and ensure backing among lawmakers. Sisi is enormously popular and would probably win easily if he runs, but he would have to relinquish his defense post in order to do so.
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Until now, there has been no indication the group possessed or was willing to use surface-to-air missiles, said David Barnett, a research associate at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, a Washington think tank, who studies militant groups in Sinai. Such a development would be militarily important because of the significant role of helicopters in Egyptian operations in northern Sinai, he said.
It could also carry damaging repercussions for the tourism industry in the southern part of the peninsula and on the Red Sea, Barnett said. Egypt's tourism industry has cratered during the last three years of political upheaval, but resorts in Sinai have retained some appeal, in part because they are seen as distant from turmoil in Cairo.