Presidential hopeful Khaled Ali said Monday he will not drop out of the presidential race to bolster the chances of another candidate.
In a message on Facebook, Ali said he rejects the introduction of further constitutional amendments to curtail the powers of the president, and added that the powers stipulated in the Constitutional Declaration should remain intact.
However, Ali said Article 28 of the Constitutional Declaration ― which makes the Presidential Elections Commission’s decisions immune to legal challenges ― needs to be amended.
He said the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces is being deceitful in stating that it wants to grant the president the power to dissolve Parliament. The motive behind introducing such proposals, he said, is to define the relationship between the president and the council.
Ali also renewed calls for the release of detainees arrested after the army dispersed a sit-in in front of the Defense Ministry last week.
Hundreds were wounded and an army recruit was killed near the Defense Ministry on Friday as the army dispersed a protest staged to oppose the rule of the military council. The fighting reportedly began after protesters attempted to cross the barbed wire placed around the ministry.
Ali, a 40-year-old human rights activist and lawyer, is the youngest presidential candidate in the election slated for 23 and 24 May.
