The National Centre for Social and Criminological Research conducted a poll to estimate the levels of support for Egypt’s presidential candidates in 26 different governorates. The study revealed that presidential hopeful Amr Moussa, the former head of the Arab league and a one-time foreign minister under Mubarak, has the highest level of support so far.

According to the poll, Moussa received 23.2 per cent of the votes; the Nasserist Hamdin Sabahy 5.8 per cent; the Islamist Selim El-Awa 4.6 per cent; Mubarak's former PM Ahmed Shafiq 4.5 per cent, and the 2005 presidential candidate Ayman Nour 4.4 per cent.

Former head of the International Atomic Energy Agency Mohamed El-Baradei gained only four per cent, while Salafist presidential hopeful Hazem Abu Ismail got the lowest number of votes.

Transparency, honour, firmness and conscience were the most important traits in a president, according to 52.5 per cent of respondents. 40.6 per cent said  attentiveness to applying policies demanded by the people was another important trait in a president, while 16.5 per cent said political experience was an important factor.

According to the poll, 34.4 per cent of respondents have not yet made up their minds who they would elect as president in the contest slated for June 2011.