Egypt's interim leader to forgo presidential bid, return to constitutional court

Reuters reported Tuesday that Egypt's interim leader Adly Mansour will not run for president in elections scheduled to commence next year.

In an interview with Kuwaiti newspaper Al-Seyassah, Mansour refuted the idea he will run for president next year, emphasizing that he would like to return to his work at the constitutional court. When asked if he would run for the head of state position, Mansour said, ""No... No, I will return to my office and my work at the constitutional court."

Mansour has been serving as the interim head of state since former president Mohammed Morsi's ouster in July, and will remain in this position until the presidential elections are held next year. Egyptian Foreign Minister Nabil Fahmy said that the presidential elections "are slated for early summer [next year]," following tentative parliamentary elections in February and March.

No major public figures in Egypt have officially expressed their bid for presidency, but speculations are rising that army chief General Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi could win the vote if he chooses to run.