Coptic Candidate for Egyptian Presidency Mamdouh Ramzi: I Am Secular, Not Running as Representative of the Copts

Following are excerpts from an interview with Coptic president candidate Mamdouh Ramzi, which aired on OTV on October 19, 2009.

Mamdouh Ramzi: I did not present my candidacy for sectarian reasons. I am known as a secular person who is involved in politics. I did not present my candidacy as a Copt, because, as I have said, the role of president is a political position, and not a religious position. The president of the country is the president of all Egyptians, and we cannot reasonably say that Mamdouh Ramzi presented his candidacy because he is a Christian. By presenting my candidacy, I intended two things: to send a message to the Egyptian people that there is no discrimination between Muslim and Christian Egyptians. The second thing is that I am against the non-objective religious rulings which were issued on this matter. When someone like Dr. Muhammad Habib [of the Muslim Brotherhood] says that according to Islamic law, a Christian cannot present his candidacy, [I say]: Sir, this is not a Caliphate. Egypt is a civil state with a secular, political, civil constitution. With this in mind, I presented my candidacy.

Interviewer: But it’s been said that you first asked for the permission of the Coptic patriarch.

Mamdouh Ramzi: No, that’s not true.

Interviewer: That’s what the Copts are saying.

Mamdouh Ramzi: No, no.

Interviewer: Does it matter to you what the patriarch thinks about this?

Mamdouh Ramzi: Not at all. I have the utmost respect for the patriarch, in his capacity as my religious and spiritual leader, but my main cause, in 32 years of political activity, has been separation of religion and state. Religion is the private connection between the Creator and His creatures, and it must remain in the mosque or the church.

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Interviewer: What will be your first three decisions if you become President of Egypt?

Mamdouh Ramzi: First of all, I will deal with the Emergency Law, with political corruption…

Interviewer: What will you do about the political corruption?

Mamdouh Ramzi: It is necessary to conduct a reform. Some people have held their positions for decades without being replaced. How can a minister hold his position for 20 years? This is inconceivable.