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| Egypt's Sisi says he will step down as president if people rise against him | Egypt's Sisi says he will step down as president if people rise against him |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Egypt's likely next leader, Abdel Fatah al-Sisi, will resign from office if his presidency sparks mass protests, the former army chief has said. | Egypt's likely next leader, Abdel Fatah al-Sisi, will resign from office if his presidency sparks mass protests, the former army chief has said. |
| "If people go down to protest, I will say: I am at your service," Sisi said in an interview with Sky News Arabia aired late on Sunday. "I can't wait until the army asks me to [resign]." | "If people go down to protest, I will say: I am at your service," Sisi said in an interview with Sky News Arabia aired late on Sunday. "I can't wait until the army asks me to [resign]." |
| Sisi has just one competitor in Egypt's presidential run-off, which culminates in a two-day poll on 26-27 May – a contest he is widely expected to win. | Sisi has just one competitor in Egypt's presidential run-off, which culminates in a two-day poll on 26-27 May – a contest he is widely expected to win. |
| His remarks echo those of the man he ousted from Egypt's presidency, the Muslim Brotherhood's Mohamed Morsi. On his election in June 2012, Morsi similarly promised to step down if the masses rose against him, before refusing to resign when millions did fill the streets a year later – a decision that prompted Sisi to force him from office. | His remarks echo those of the man he ousted from Egypt's presidency, the Muslim Brotherhood's Mohamed Morsi. On his election in June 2012, Morsi similarly promised to step down if the masses rose against him, before refusing to resign when millions did fill the streets a year later – a decision that prompted Sisi to force him from office. |
| Sisi's comments appear at odds with other recent statements, in which he defended a controversial new law that several rights groups say severely curbs the freedom of assembly. Demonstrations put off tourists and harm the country's recovery, Sisi has argued. "The right to protest is guaranteed for all but we will not let the country be destroyed." | Sisi's comments appear at odds with other recent statements, in which he defended a controversial new law that several rights groups say severely curbs the freedom of assembly. Demonstrations put off tourists and harm the country's recovery, Sisi has argued. "The right to protest is guaranteed for all but we will not let the country be destroyed." |
| On Sunday, Sisi also stressed that he would not seek reconciliation with the Brotherhood, reiterating comments he made in a previous interview last week, in which he said: "There will be nothing called the Muslim Brotherhood during my tenure." A week on, Sisi repeated that the Brotherhood had tarnished Islam and "need to reevaluate themselves". | On Sunday, Sisi also stressed that he would not seek reconciliation with the Brotherhood, reiterating comments he made in a previous interview last week, in which he said: "There will be nothing called the Muslim Brotherhood during my tenure." A week on, Sisi repeated that the Brotherhood had tarnished Islam and "need to reevaluate themselves". |
| Sisi believes religion has a role to play in public life but argues that the Brotherhood sought to undermine the Egyptian state by establishing an alternative religious power base, and criticises it for doing so. | Sisi believes religion has a role to play in public life but argues that the Brotherhood sought to undermine the Egyptian state by establishing an alternative religious power base, and criticises it for doing so. |
| Sisi's only rival for the presidency, the leftist and long-time secular dissident Hamdeen Sabahi, has also said his victory would close the door on the Brotherhood. But in other major policy areas, Sabahi has set himself up in opposition to the former army leader – presenting himself as the candidate of the revolution and promising, for example, to repeal the controversial protest law. | Sisi's only rival for the presidency, the leftist and long-time secular dissident Hamdeen Sabahi, has also said his victory would close the door on the Brotherhood. But in other major policy areas, Sabahi has set himself up in opposition to the former army leader – presenting himself as the candidate of the revolution and promising, for example, to repeal the controversial protest law. |
| According to a recent survey by the Cairo-based polling centre Baseera, 72% of those who intend to vote say they will back Sisi, with 2% supporting Sabahi – though online polling suggests the gap has narrowed in the past week following interviews with both candidates. | |
| Sisi said he had plans to improve people's living conditions within two years, but said he would be frank with Egyptians about the extent of their problems. "We say if things go according to our planning, they will see improvements within two years," he said. |