By Jaime Cunningham
Egyptians go to the polls May 23 and 24 to choose their first democratically elected president since the ousting of Hosni Mubarak. One of about a dozen candidates is Abdel Moneim Aboul Fotouh—a 60-year-old doctor who seems to appeal to both liberals and hardliners alike. While he is an Islamist who served for 25 years in the Muslim Brotherhood, he is less strict than the group, which he broke away from last year. He rejects imposing the veil on women and banning alcohol, and envisions his country as an Islamic democracy. Fotouh criticizes the United States for supporting Arab dictators, and would like to amend Egypt’s peace treaty with Israel, yet he also values good relations with the two countries, stability in the region—and access to the $2 billion in annual aid the U.S. provides. Photographer Moises Saman, on assignment for Newsweek, followed Fotouh on the campaign trail. Here, a man stands on a Cairo street corner in front of posters of presidential candidates, including Fotouh.
