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Egyptian presidential candidate withdraws
A prominent Egyptian-U.S. sociologist announced Monday that he was dropping out of Egypt's first open presidential elections, becoming the second aspirant for the nation's top job to withdraw in three days. Saad Eddin Ibrahim, 66, said he withdrew because serious contenders were being blocked from running by a limited constitutional amendment passed in May allowing multi-candidate elections in September. "In solidarity with a national coalition of democratic forces calling for a boycott of this political farce, I must declare my withdrawal as a presidential contender," said Ibrahim, who had announced he would run in October. President Hosni Mubarak, leader since 1981, has not said if he will run but is widely expected to do so. On Saturday, Nawal el-Saadawi, a 73-year-old feminist candidate, also pulled out of the race, citing similar reasons. The constitutional amendments bar dual citizens from running and stipulate that independent candidates must get 250 recommendations from elected members of both houses of parliament and city councils to run. Each body is dominated by Mubarak's ruling National Democratic Party. Opposition members say it is virtually impossible to attain so many recommendations. Ibrahim was convicted in 2001 of tarnishing Egypt's image, embezzlement and accepting foreign money without government approval. After initial convictions, Egypt's highest court acquitted him in 2003 and he served about one year of a seven-year sentence. Ibrahim believes the charges stemmed from his decision to set up a committee to monitor Egypt's 2000 parliamentary elections. Ayman Nour, 40, a prominent critic of the president, stands out as one of the few political figures likely to run, despite criminal charges he says are fabricated by the government and politically motivated.
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