Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak is to run for re-election in 2011, a senior ruling party official said on Thursday. "The candidate of the National Democratic Party (NDP) will be President Mohammed Hosni Mubarak. At that moment, the candidate will be Mohammed Hosni Mubarak," Ali El Din Hilal said in an interview broadcast by Arabic-language US satellite TV channel Alhurra.
"The candidate of the National Democratic Party in October next year, God willing, will be President Mohammed Hosni Mubarak," Hilal repeated.
Hilal later told AFP the president's candidacy was in keeping with "the will of the leadership" of the ruling party. "He is our nominee for the presidency" in the next election, said the senior official.
There has been widespread speculation that his son, Gamal, will be put forward as his potential successor. However, recent reports claimed the Army has opposed his nomination.
