Ahmed Shafik

Ahmed Mohamed Shafik was born 25. November 1941) is an Egyptian politician and candidate for president of Egypt. He was a senior commander in the Egyptian Air Force and later served as Prime Minister of Egypt from January 31, 2011 until March 3, 2011, a period of 33 days.



After a career as a fighter pilot and squadron, wing and base commanders, Shafik was the Commander of the Egyptian Air Force from 1996 to 2002, reaching the rank of air marshal. After that he served in government as Minister of Civil Aviation 2002-2011.



He was appointed as Prime Minister by President Hosni Mubarak on January 31, 2011 in response to the Egyptian Revolution of 2011, making him the last Prime Minister to serve as part of administration.He Mubarak remained in office for only one month, resigned on March 3, 2011, one days after the confrontation the controversial talk show in which he was accused by a prominent Egyptian novelist (Alaa Al Aswany) to be a relic Mubarak regime.


After a career as a fighter pilot and squadron, wing and base commanders, Shafik was the Commander of the Egyptian Air Force from 1996 to 2002, reaching the rank of air marshal. After that he served in government as Minister of Civil Aviation 2002-2011.

He was appointed as Prime Minister by President Hosni Mubarak on January 31, 2011 in response to the Egyptian Revolution of 2011, making him the last Prime Minister to serve as part of the Mubarak government. He remained in office for only one month, resigned on March 3, 2011, one day after the confrontation the controversial talk show in which he was accused by a prominent Egyptian novelist (Alaa Al Aswany) to be a relic Mubarak regime.


Political career

During the Egyptian Revolution of 2011, Shafik was named Prime Minister on January 29.
Appointment as Prime Minister and the resignation
Shafik period in office as Prime Minister of the short-lived, lasting more than a month after he resigned on March 3, due to pressure from protesters and opposition. They objected to Shafik stay as PM, which has been seen as one old man suspected guard.Shafik Mubarak has been a member of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces who took over after the departure of Mubarak on February 11, 2011. Shafik replaced by Essam Sharaf after he resigned.


Shafik resigned as prime minister a day after a controversial interview on the satellite network ONTV Egypt where he was confronted by Alaa Al Aswany, author of The Yacoubian Building, on a talk show that Baladna Reem Maged Masry bell. Al Aswany highly critical of Shafik during the broadcast, was one of television's first public criticism of a high-level government official in Egypt's history. At one point, Al Aswany said about Shafik, "if your child has to be one of those hit by police car, you will not stay quiet like that." Shafik Al Aswany subsequently accused of being a legacy of the Egyptian regime that had fought to overthrow, and that he was not qualified to represent Egypt in the post-revolution era.


Egypt's presidential election, 2012

In November 2011, Shafik announced his candidacy in the presidential election of Egypt. Shafik nomination has sparked controversy and protests in Egypt, with many considering him to be relics of the Mubarak regime. Shafik commented that he thought former President Housni Mubarak to be a "role model" has been very controversial. At a campaign event, protesters threw shoes at him, though Shafik did not happen. Shafik nomination has been listed as supported by many of Egypt's Christian Coptic minority who oppose the Islamic candidate in the election.



Along with the Muslim Brotherhood and the Freedom and Justice Party candidate Mohamed Morsi, Shafik is one of two candidates who survived the first round of voting on 23-24 May, coming in behind Morsi. The second and final round of voting was held on 16-17 June 2012. Allegations emerged that the interior ministry to distribute more than 900,000 ID cards for the Egyptian army so that they can choose Shafik, which would be a violation of the campaign. Hamdeen Sabahi fellow presidential candidate, who finished third in the first round of voting, has called for elections to Egypt's suspended until the investigation carried out.


On the day Monday, May 28, protesters angry at Shafik advances to second round of voting set fire to the office associated with the campaign in Cairo. Fellow candidate Khaled Ali said while participating in a protest against the election results in Tahrir Square Tahrir was "to overthrow Mubarak, and will overthrow Shafik.The election contest between Shafik and Morsi has been described as" a choice between two of Egypt's most polarizing politicians, "and some activists have used participation in a hunger strike to protest his candidacy.



Shafik presidential campaign has been marked by an emphasis on public order and security, and despite the decision of the Armed Forces Council has not endorsed a candidate, the U.S. newspaper McClatchy news outlet has pointed to the presence of "striking of the security forces sympathetic to the campaign to stop" as evidence of close ties to the military. Shafik has used his campaign events to the court of Egypt's elite and voters wary of Islamic-led government. He reportedly suggested that he would employ the execution and "brutal force" to restore order in the country within one month of taking office.


Although the initial election results showed that the participants of the Muslim Brotherhood Mohamed Morsi has won the second round with a little difference, the results remain within the error margin and the Armed Forces Supreme Council has not officially announced the winner. Meanwhile, Shafik claimed victory in the elections.