Despite the electoral alliance between Gamila Ismail’s Ghad Party and the Muslim Brotherhood (MB)’s Freedom and Justice Party, the latter plans to field candidate Amr Khedr for the individual candidacy seat in Cairo’s sixth electoral district, which includes the teeming city centre – the seat which Ismail is also contesting.

Ismail, who had originally planned to run on the Democratic Alliance’s party list, decided last month to contest the seat reserved for individual candidacies as an independent. The move followed Ismail’s withdrawal from the MB-dominated alliance, with Ismail accusing the Islamist group of discriminating against women.

Learning that she would face off against an MB candidate, Ismail has called for a public debate in which both contenders would have a chance to present their respective political programs and visions for reform.

Both Ismail and Khedr will also face stiff competition from candidates fielded by other political parties, including the liberal Free Egyptians and the liberal Wafd Party.