Personal Life and Career

Hamdeen Sabahi was born on July 5, 1954 in a small Nile Delta town in Kafr el-Sheikh governorate called Baltim to a farmer father. 

Sabahi is married and has one daughter and one son. 

Sabahi studied Mass Communication at Cairo University in 1975. During his college years, the Nasserist politician began his political activism and ran for Student Union elections. 

Sabahi attracted public attention in 1977 when he confronted former President Anwar al-Sadat during the president's visit following the peace treaty with Israel. 

The opposition leader worked as a journalist after graduation, mostly for Nasserist newspapers, before becoming the editor-in-chief of Al-Karama weekly newspaper. 

Political Career

Sabahi ran for parliament in 2000 and 2005 and represented al-Borolos and Hamool districts in Kafr al-Sheikh. 

In 2003, Sabahi was detained in demonstrations against the United States invasion of Iraq, despite his political immunity due to membership in parliament. 

Sabahi then co-founded the Nasserist al-Karama Party as well as the Arab Socialist Party and the Arab Nasserist Party. 

Sabahi took part in protests against Hosni Mubarak's regime in January 2011 and demonstrations against the Muslim Brotherhood administration in June 2014. 

Sabahi came third in 2012's presidential elections that brought the Brotherhood to power with over 20% of the overall vote. 

Sabahi founded the Popular Current Party in 2012. He also co-founded the National Salvation Front, a liberal front created to oppose the Mursi administration in 2012. 

Bid for presidency 

Sabahi officially announced his intention to run this May's presidential race on February 8, 2014. 

Only Sabahi and former army chief Abdel Fattah al-Sisi were able to fulfill the requirements to run for presidency. The two will compete for office this month on May 26 and 27.

Parties that have announced their support for Sabahi: Al-Dostour Party, the Popular Socialist Coalition Party, the Popular Current Party, the Revolutionary Socialists Party, Al-Adl Party, the Nasserist Karama Party and Masr Al-Horreya Party.