Hamdeen Sabahi is the only candidate running against the ex-military chief in next month’s presidential poll. 

Egyptians are getting set for new presidential elections next month with only two candidates having submitted their papers by the close of the deadline on Sunday, April 20, 2014. Former military chief and Defence Minister, retired Field Marshal Abdul Fattah al-Sisi, is to face former presidential candidate, Hamdeen Sabahi, in the first round of voting due on May 26-27, 2014.

According to the Ahram newspaper, Mortada Mansour, the Chairman of Zamalek Football Club, pulled out on April 19, 2014, citing a divine vision. Khaled Ali, a labour lawyer, the Islamist, Abdel Moneim Aboul Fotouh, and Hosni Mubarak's last Prime Minister, Ahmed Shafiq, all dropped out in recent weeks. The BBC said Sabahi submitted his papers on the last day after gathering 31,100 signatures.

The required number for registration was 25,000. On his part, al-Sisi received 200,000 signatures. Born in 1954 in the coastal city of Baltim, Hamdeen Sabahi, a left-winger, founded the Nasserist Karama party in 1996. He was elected into Parliament in 2000. A long-time opposition activist, Sabahi was jailed over a dozen times under previous governments. He now leads the secular Popular Current party. He came third in the 2012 election which was won by Egypt’s pioneer civilian leader, Mohamed Mursi.

Abdul Fattah al-Sisi is the favourite to win the election, having won the support of many. He led the overthrow of President Mohamed Mursi in July 2013 after mass protests. Born in Cairo on November 19, 1954, he served in the infantry after graduating from the Egyptian Military Academy in 1977.

He went on to serve as Information and Security Chief in the Ministry of Defence, Military Attaché in Saudi Arabia, Chief of Staff and Commander of Egypt's Northern Military Zone, before being appointed head of Military Intelligence and Reconnaissance.