CAIRO — Egypt's top generals Monday endorsed a presidential run by army chief Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, the state news agency said, paving the way for the man who ousted the country's Islamist president to enter elections to replace him at the head of a violently divided nation.
The official news agency MENA said el-Sissi could officially announce his intention to run "within hours."
If el-Sissi runs in the elections due by the end of April, he would likely sweep the vote, given his popularity among a significant sector of the public, the lack of alternatives, the almost universal support in Egypt's media and the powerful atmosphere of intimidation against critics pervading the country.