The Salafist Scholar Shura Council met on Saturday with current Islamist presidential hopefuls to discuss their programmes and decide accordingly whom to back in forthcoming elections. This is the third of such meetings the council has conducted.
The 302-member Shura Council met with presidential hopefuls Mohamed Selim El-Awa, the Muslim Brotherhood candidate Mohamed Mursi and a campaign representative of Abdel-Moneim Abul-Fotouh. Each candidate was given an individual audience.
The Salafist Scholar Shura Council had backed former Salafist presidential hopeful Hazem Abu-Ismail before he was disqualified from the race because of his mother's dual nationality. The council has been postponing its decision until the list of candidates is finalised.
The Supreme Presidential Electoral Commission announced a final list of candidates on 26 April.
Egypt's presidential elections will take place on 23 and 24 May and the president will be named on 21 June after a runoff-voting round, if needed, on 16 and 17 June.
