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Fact Sheets: Egyptian Presidential Elections - Mohamed Morsi

(Updated June 2012)

Mohamed Morsi is a member of the Muslim Brotherood. In April 2012, he was appointed chairman of the Brotherhood's "Freedom and Justice" political party. Beforehand, Morsi served as a member and media spokesman of the Brotherhood's Guidance Office.

After the disqualification of Khairat El-Shater, the Brotherhood's desired presidential candidate, Morsi emerged as the organization's new candidate. Following the election in May, Morsi garnered enough votes to be included in the run-off election. 

In June 2012, Morsi won the run-off over Ahmed Shafik with 51.7% of the votes and was officially announced as the new President of Egypt.

Below is a sampling of his views on certain important issues:
Changing the Government | Mubarak Sentencing | Relations with Israel | Islamic Society & Non-Muslims | Relations with Iran

On Changing the Government in Egypt

- "The revolutionary movement of the Egyptian people ... is in its final stages of the Islamic Awakening and a new era of change in the Middle East."
(Al Arabiya, June 2012)

- "[The Muslim Brotherhood] will not allow Ahmed Shafiq or anyone else to impede our second Islamic conquest of Egypt ... The second Muslim conqueror [of Egypt] will be Mohamed Morsy, and history will record it."
(El Bashayer, May 2012)

- "I hope the people will choose me, an Islamist candidate from the FJP and Muslim Brotherhood, and god willing the system will move towards stability and development."
(Reuters, April 2012)

- "We are all in one and the same boat. The same homeland. It’s like a ship that was prevented, for so long, from sailing out in the waters of this world. She was tied with heavy chains that the people of this revolution smashed. Now, as she sets off, let's all put our hands together to help guide it in the right direction, where a good wind blows, and clear water flows. Our ship, our homeland will survive, and will forge forward on a long journey, and it will carry all the Egyptian people."
(Dream TV, December 2011)

- "We are expecting and hoping that what will happen in Egypt will really represent the people, and the Islamic framework can to a great extent control the government and the behavior of the State in the future."
(The Arabist, May 2011)

- " The Constitution represents the people, and the [Freedom & Justice] party is represented by its members. We will not impose what we believe on people. We cannot change the people’s will."
(The Arabist, May 2011)

- "The feeling among the people now is that they are capable of expressing themselves and ensuring that they live with equal rights. I think that if it continues like this and is really applied in practice, it will guarantee a sort of balance in society."
(The Arabist, Mry 2011)

- "The Brotherhood seeks to restore the country’s national identity and its stand in the Arab world after decades of failed policies and dictatorship."
(IkwanWeb, February 2010)

On Sentencing of former President Hosni Mubarak

- "This criminal deserves the death penalty. With Allah's help, when we will be in power, we will replace the prosecutor and the judges and conduct a retrial to achieve a more appropriate sentence for Mubarak and his fellow criminals."
(Israel HaYom, June 2012)

On Relations with Israel

- "I shall endeavor to preserve Egypt's national security, in its Arab, African, regional and international aspects. We shall adhere to the international agreements and convenants. We have brought the world a message of peace. We shall adhere to the international agreements and covenants as well as to the Egyptian committments and accords with the whole world."
(MEMRI, June 2012)

- "The Palestinians are resisting the Israelis, and they have a right to resist, and we are helping this resistance as much as we can, politically, morally and using medical supplies."
(Majallah Magazine, November 2011)

- "We are not against people. We are not against mankind. We are not against the Jews. We are against Zionism. We are against torturing the Palestinians."
(CNN, February 2011)

- "Talks about a two-state solution are completely rejected by the Arab and Muslim peoples ... pressure to resume direct talks raises many questions regarding the feasibility of conducting such negotiations amid the continuing Israeli blockade on the Gaza Strip, the progressive steps towards Judaizing East Jerusalem, the seizing of parts of Al-Aqsa Mosque, the imprisonment of Sheikh Raed Salah and the destruction of houses in the Palestinian cities in the West Bank."
(IkwanWeb, August 2010)

- "History has proven that the Israeli entity has never respected regulations were it has always believed that it is above the law. The only language they understand is force hence what is taken by force must be restored by force."
(IkwanWeb, March 2010)

- "The two-state solution is nothing but a delusion concocted by the brutal usurper of the Palestinian lands."
(IkwanWeb, March 2010)

- "The report prepared by the Commission headed by the former international war crimes prosecutor Richard Goldstone [is] proof of the Zionist crimes as well as evidence that there is a deteriorating  of the Palestinian Authority’s hierarchy."
(IkwanWeb, October 2009)

- "The Israeli’s aggressions has increased with the digging of  more tunnels under Al-Aqsa Mosque and the barbaric and unjust  confiscation of  more lands and homes in Jerusalem which are handed over to the Jewish people."
(IkwanWeb, October 2009)

On Islamic Society & Non-Muslims in Egypt

- "[Coptic Christians] need to know that conquest in coming, and Egypt will be Islamic, and thay they must pay the jizya or emigrate."
(El Bashayer, May 2012)

- " I believe [Coptic Christians] have inherent rights. I believe [they are] part and parcel of the fabric of the Egyptian society, and have been for more than 1400 years. [They are] certainly just as Egyptian as I am, and has as much a right to this homeland as I am."
(Dream TV, December 2011)

- "We are commanded, by God Almighty, to respect others' faiths, just as we respect our own. God Almighty granted all people the right and freedom to believe. People are free to believe in God or not to believe, not only Muslims or Christians. If God gave the people the right to freedom in such a tremendously important matter, what about less significant rights and freedoms?! They are obviously guaranteed."
(Dream TV, December 2011)

- "The free market system is similar to the Islamic system. Under Islam, you need to make sure that poor people are sharing in the wealth of society. So when we talk about having a free market system, this is OK, but it needs to be somehow reformed ... Besides a free market system you need to have ethical values for the society. This is what we are concerned about."
(Majallah Magazine, November 2011)

- "The majority of the people are Muslims and the non-Muslims, our brothers, are citizens with full responsibilities and rights and there is no difference betweeen them. This is included in Sharia clearly and definitely. If any Muslim says anything other than this, he is not understanding Sharia."
(France 24, May 2011)

- "Islamic Sharia is a big frame for all laws and details, with the benefit of the Egyptians, not the Muslims only, it is for all the Egyptians - Muslims and non-Muslims - and this is very clear in Sharia."
(France 24, May 2011)

- "When people have accepted the notion of Islam as a framework, violations within it will be minimized. It cannot be imposed on the people and it cannot be done from the top. It has to be initiated, created, and agreed upon by the people."
(The Arabist, May 2011)

On Relations with Iran

- "[Better relations with Iran] will create a balance of pressure in the region, and this is part of my program."
(Al Arabiya, June 2012)