On the Eve of the Presidential Elections

The Supreme Elections Committee announced yesterday that the first round of the 2014 Presidential elections in Egypt will be held on the 26th and 27th of May 2014. The results of the first round are to be announced on June 5th. If a second round is held, then results will be announced by June 26th, 2014. The committee also announced that doors for candidacy applications will open today and close on April 20th (Egyptian Streets).

So far, there are only two candidates, who have officially declared their participation: the ex-army chief, Abdel Fatah al-Sisi, who has formally laid down his uniform, and Hamdeen Sabahi, a leftist politician, who came third in the 2012 presidential elections (after Mohamed Morsi and Ahmed Shafiq). Other possible candidates include lawyer Khaled Ali and former general Sami Anan (The Guardian).

Sisi's resignation speech in full (as per a transcript provided by the Army) can be found here.

Picture: source unknown, via Facebook