Those who made the Jasmine Revolution will boycott the second round of voting on 15-16 June. Muslim Brotherhood candidate Muhammad Mursi says Copts will enjoy equal rights. Christians are frightened by a possible Islamist takeover. The military was behind the unexpected success of Ahmed Shafiq, a former prime minister under Mubarak.

Alexandria (AsiaNews) - "The youth of the revolution fear both presidential candidates, M. Mursi (Muslim Brotherhood) and A. Shafiq (a former Mubarak prime minister). They will boycott the runoff on 15-16 June," said Nagui Damian, a young Copt who played a leading role in the Jasmine Revolution. All Egyptians, not only young people, are shocked by the results of the first round in the presidential elections. In fact, "neither candidate was favoured."

For the young Copt, "Christians are frightened by a Muslim Brotherhood takeover." No one believes in the promises Mohammed Mursi made in recent days.

At a press conference in Cairo yesterday, the Freedom and Justice party candidate said that if he was elected he would stop working only for his party, but would instead favour the participation of all political forces.

He said that Copts are "brothers" and did not exclude the possibility of appointing a Christian vice president.

Mursi also pledged to protect the rights of women and young people.

"Such statements are just a way to get votes. Once in power, nothing of what he said will be implemented," Nagui Damian said.

For him, Ahmed Shafiq is also a candidate to fear. Backed by the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces and the old establishment, Mubarak's former prime minister has a good chance at winning. Various analysts believe he won because of vote rigging, claiming that the military manipulated the results, using technology provided by the secret services, which are still in the hands of officials from the old regime.

"Shafiq tried to resist protest in Tahrir from day one," Damian said. "His election would mark the final defeat of the Jasmine Revolution."

Since Monday, protesters have again taken to the streets of Cairo and Alexandria to express their rejection of the first round of voting, which did not represent the will of the Egyptian people.

Islamists have intervened to disrupt these rallies. For the, the demonstrators are anti-democratic, thus further isolating them politically.

• egypt
• elections
• runoff
• presidency
• mursi
• shafiq
• jasmine
• revolution