BREAKING NEWS

Posters set off pro-Gamal Mubarak campaign in Egypt

By ASSOCIATED PRESS

AUGUST 22, 2010 11:43

CAIRO — Posters have sprouted up around Egypt promoting the son of President Hosni Mubarak as the country's next leader, in the most overt campaign yet for a controversial father-son succession in this key US Arab ally.

For the last decade, it has been believed that Gamal Mubarak is being groomed to succeed his 82-year-old father, who has ruled Egypt for nearly 30 years. But the idea of father-son succession has raised deep opposition among many Egyptians.

Even some within the ruling party are thought to be unconvinced, and Gamal — a 46-year-old investment banker turned politician — has little popular base.

The posters suggest Gamal's supporters within the party are making a push to shore up his position with the most public campaign to date in support of his candidacy. The signs — some touting the business suit-wearing Gamal as "the dream of the poor" — appeared around Cairo and other cities over the past few weeks. Campaign leaders are also collecting signatures for a "Yes to Gamal" petition.

While the ruling National Democratic Party strongly denied any connection between the party and the pro-Gamal campaign, a party official privately told AP that "these posters were meant to be a trial balloon for Gamal's popularity in the street," he said on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the subject.

Drone crosses into Israeli territory, falls in the western Galilee

By WALLA!

11/22/2024 10:07 PM

Switzerland to hold hearing on suspending UNRWA funding

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF

11/22/2024 08:32 PM

IAF intercepts suspicious aerial target from Lebanon

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF

11/22/2024 07:57 PM

Argentina withdraws from UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon

By REUTERS

11/22/2024 07:44 PM