Second International Personality/Alternative to Islamists Enters President Race

A second high-profile international personality has thrown his hat into the ring, offering Egyptians another alternative to Islamist rule of the Muslim Brotherhood and Salafists. Mohammad ElBaradei, former head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Saturday announced the creation of a new party and announced his candidacy for the presidency. ElBaradei joins Amr Moussa, former chief of the Arab League, as the alternatives to Islamist rule. But despite Amr Moussa and ElBaradei’s high profiles, the Islamist parties, led by the Muslim Brotherhood’s Freedom and Justice and the Salafist Al-Nour parties, handily won the parliamentary elections and are the odds-on favorites to win next month’s presidential balloting. Until ElBaradei joined the race, some believed Amr Moussa stood a chance by virtue of two popular Islamist candidates splitting the vote and opening the door for him. His entry into the fray is seen by some pundits as a blow to the non-Islamist bloc.