Egypt bars Mubarak-era PM from presidential race

Cairo, Apr 25 (ANI): Egypt's ruling military has disqualified a former-premier from running in the upcoming presidential elections after approving a law that bans senior officials from the deposed dictator Hosni Mubarak's regime from running for office.

Ahmed Shafiq's elimination narrowed the options for Egyptians who do not want an Islamist head of state, News 24 reports.

Now, the other frontrunners are the Muslim Brotherhood's Mohamed Mursi and Abdel Moneim Abol Fotouh, a former member of the group.

According to the report, the law barring Mubarak-era officials was drafted by the Islamist-dominated parliament in response to former intelligence chief Suleiman's late decision to enter the race.

News of his candidacy brought tens of thousands of demonstrators, both Islamists and liberals, into the streets in protest.

The new law denies political rights to anyone who occupied a string of top positions during the last decade of Mubarak's rule, but does not apply to former ministers.

Egypt holds its first presidential election since Mubarak's overthrow in February 2011 on May 23 and 24. The ruling generals are due to hand power to the new president on July 1. (ANI)