Check out this great article written by my former student John Ehab. It is about El Baradei's decision not to run for the presidency in Egypt.
Following the high Islamist turnout in Egypt’s parliamentary
elections, Mohamed ElBaradei, the former director of the UN nuclear
watchdog, the IAEA, and a major political player in the Egyptian
revolution, withdrew from the upcoming presidential race.
"My conscience does not allow me to run for the presidency or any
other official position unless there is real democracy," ElBaradei said
in his statement announcing his decision. He added that those who are
currently holding power in Egypt, the Security Council of Armed Forces
(SCAF), are no better than ousted former President Hosni Mubarak.
One of the most important factors that effected ElBaradei’s pullout
was the decision to establish the new constitution after the
presidential elections, leaving the president’s role undefined until
after the office is filled.
"It is a great loss, but an honorable political stance," says George
Ishak, prominent Egyptian opposition figure and member of the National
Association for Change (NAC), which ElBaradei founded.
Ishak
anticipates that the military council and the Islamists, who make up
around 70 percent of the newly elected parliament, will coordinate to
back a candidate. “The two groups might surprise Egyptians by proposing a
surprise candidate that will please both the Islamists and the SCAF."
Whether ElBaradei’s decision will limit the chances of secularists or
liberals, it will not affect the influence that the Nobel Prize winner
has had in helping build youth networks active in the Egyptian public
sphere.
To read more: Egypt's warrior for democracy opts out.