A Media Head of Egypt's National Democratic Party Ali El Din Hillal gave Thursday the strongest signal yet that Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak, 82, would seek re-election next year, saying he was the party's candidate
Hillal said that "The formal nomination process would not take place until a month or two before the vote, a date which has not been set although it is expected in the second half of 2011," according to Reuters
The looming vote has prompted speculation about whether Mubarak, in power since 1981, will seek a sixth term. If he does not, many believe his politician son Gamal, 46, could run, or possibly another candidate with a military background.
Rumours about Mubarak's health, fuelled by his gallbladder surgery in Germany in March, have added to the debate about whether he will stay in office. Since his surgery, the president has resumed a regular schedule of meetings and foreign trips.
Hillal said "The NDP's candidate for the coming presidential elections is President Hosni Mubarak," adding that "This is the will of all the leadership of the party"
Hillal made similar comments to a talk show broadcast earlier on Thursday by Hurra TV, a U.S.-based Arabic channel. He suggested the vote could be held in October. But he would not confirm that date when speaking to Reuters.
Analysts say rules for the election stack the vote heavily in favour of the candidate put forward by the NDP. In the 2005 vote, Egypt's first multi-candidate race, Mubarak won easily.
Liberal opposition candidate Ayman Nour, Mubarak's main challenger in 2005, came a distant second and was jailed soon after on charges he said were politically motivated. He has said he plans to run in the coming election.
Potential presidential candidate and former U.N. nuclear watchdog Mohamed ElBaradei, who says he may run if constitutional changes are in place, said last month that change in Egypt's leadership was bound to come in 2011.
He also called for a boycott of a parliamentary vote due on Nov. 28.
In September, Egypt's Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif said that "The constitutional process outlined a timeline for fielding
candidates three months before a vote"
"If Mubarak felt capable of running, the party would stand behind him," said Nazif.
Meanwhile, Other top party officials have said that "The Egyptian President Mubarak would be the favoured choice if he decided to run"
