Brotherhood sources reported that the SCAF has offered to allow the Muslim Brotherhood to form a new cabinet if the group refrains from nominating a presidential candidate.

ELECTIONS: 

1) Following the SCAF’s decision to pardon Ayman Nour and restore his political rights, Nour has formally announced his presidential candidacy and is expected to submit his registration papers on April 6. [al-Ahram, English, 3/29/2012] [al-Masry al-Youm, English, 3/29/2012] [al-Masry al-Youm, Arabic, 3/29/2012]

2) Presidential candidate Abul-Ezz El-Hariri, an MP for the Socialist Popular Alliance Party, said his first move as president would be to implement price controls to offset the rising cost of living. [al-Ahram, English, 3/29/2012] 

3) The “Masrena” revolutionary movement has launched a campaign supporting Islamist presidential candidate Abdel Moneim Aboul Fotouh. [al-Ahram, English, 3/29/2012] 

BROTHERHOOD: 

4) The Freedom and Justice Party issued a statement calling for Prime Minister Kamal Ganzouri’s resignation and demanded that the SCAF dismiss him. [al-Masry al-Youm, Arabic, 3/29/2012] 

5) The SCAF is considering a request by the Freedom and Justice Party to pardon the Muslim Brotherhood Deputy Supreme Guide Khairat al-Shater. The Muslim Brotherhood is considering nominating a candidate for the presidency, and al-Shater has been mentioned as a possible contender. The Brotherhood is expected to make a final decision on whether or not to participate directly in the presidential election on April 3. [al-Ahram, English, 3/29/2012] [al-Masry al-Youm, English, 3/29/2012] 

6) Brotherhood sources reported that the SCAF has offered to allow the Muslim Brotherhood to form a new cabinet if the group refrains from nominating a presidential candidate. [al-Masry al-Youm, English, 3/29/2012] 

7) Parliamentary Speaker Saad al-Katatni denied reports that Field Marshal Tantawi threatened to dissolve parliament as tensions escalate between the SCAF and Brotherhood. [al-Ahram, English, 3/29/2012] 

CONSTITUTION: 

8) The Revolutionary Youth Union has decided to postpone a million-man demonstration protesting the Islamist-dominated constituent assembly, to avoid getting entangled in “the power struggle between the military and the Muslim Brotherhood and in anticipation of a State Council ruling next month invalidating the constituent assembly.” [al-Masry al-Youm, Arabic, 3/29/2012] 

9) Parliament Speaker Saad al-Katatny said that the constituent assembly cannot be dissolved: “The constituent assembly cannot be reconstituted now that it has been formed. Nobody can do this; not the People’s Assembly, the Shura Council or the military council,” he said, adding that the new constitution will be drafted in six months (as required by the interim constitution). [al-Masry al-Youm, English, 3/29/2012] 

10) Al-Azhar has withdrawn its representative, former Mufti Nasr Farid Wasel, from the constituent assembly, saying that al-Azhar’s underrepresentation in the assembly was “inappropriate” and would “marginalize al-Azhar’s historic role in an important national development.”  [al-Masry al-Youm, Arabic, 3/29/2012] [al-Shorouk, Arabic, 3/29/2012] 

Photo Credit: Getty

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