Thirteen presidential hopefuls

Amr Mousa: A 75-year-old career diplomat, who served as a foreign minister under Hosni Mubarak and became in 2001 an Arab League chief for 10 years. He supports the creation of a non-religious state in Egypt and promotes himself as a veteran statesman with extensive links with the outside world. He stands as an independent. His popularity ratings have increased in recent opinion polls.

Hisham Al Bastawisi: A 61-year-old judge, fielded by the leftist Tagammu Party. He is known for his outspoken criticism of corruption and election fraud in the final years of Mubarak's rule.

Hossam Khairallah: Fielded by the newly created Democratic Peace Party, Khairallah, 67, is an ex-intelligence officer. As a presidential contender, he promotes an image of a military strategist. He is an unlikely winner.

Mohammad Fawzi Eisa: A 68-year-old former policeman with a PhD in law. He runs as a candidate for the recently established Generation Democratic Party. He is not known to have a grassroots base. He has unofficially pulled out, calling on his supporters to vote for Mousa.

Mahmoud Hossam: A 48-year-old former policeman with no known political profile or strong popularity. He stands as an independent.

Ahmad Shafiq: A 70-year-old ex-army general who was appointed as premier in the final days of Mubarak's rule. Shafiq presents himself as an experienced statesman based on his years as minister of civil aviation before becoming prime minister. However, revolutionary powers denounce him as a holdover from the Mubarak era. He signalled readiness to visit Israel if he concluded the trip would serve Egyptian and Palestinian interests. He runs as an independent. His popularity ratings have dramatically increased in recent polls.

Abdul Moneim Abu Al Fotouh: A 60-year-old medical physician, who was a senior official in the Muslim Brotherhood until last year when the group sacked him for deciding to run for president in violation of its ban. He is the head of the Arab Medical Union and projects himself as a moderate Islamist who can unify all Egyptians, including the Christian minority. He stands as an independent. His popularity ratings have increased in recent opinion polls.

Mohammad Mursi: A 61-year-old head of the Muslim Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party, he was fielded by the group to replace its disqualified contender Khairat Al Shater. Mursi, a professor of engineering, has pledged to enforce the Sharia (Islamic law) without prejudice against the Christian minority. But he is regarded as lacking Al Shater's popularity and political and business acumen. He has finished fourth in recent opinion polls after Mousa, Abu Al Fotouh and Shafiq.

Khaled Ali: A 40-year-old lawyer and a human rights activist who has gained popularity among workers for a legal drive against dubious privatisation deals under Mubarak. Ali advocates social justice and a bigger role for state institutions. His presidential bid has been endorsed by 32 MPs. He believes he has a good chance to win the election.

Mohammad Salim Al Awwa: A 70-year-old Islamist lawyer and intellectual. He is a former head of the International Union for Muslim Scholars. He portrays himself as a moderate Islamist despite the controversy he has triggered in recent years by opinions on Coptic issues. He has been endorsed by 30 MPs to run for president.

Abdullah Al Ashaal: A 67-year-old former diplomat, fielded by Al Asala, an ultra-conservative Salafist party. He holds a doctorate in international law. Initially, he had announced running as an independent, but later said he opted out in favour of the Muslim Brotherhood's candidate Khairat Al Shater. After Al Shater's disqualification, Al Ashaal registered as a contender representing the Al Asala party.

Hamdeen Sabahi: A 58-year-old leftist who started political activism as a university student in the 1970s. He is a staunch follower of Egypt's late populist president Jamal Abdul Nasser. Sabbahi projects himself as an anti-Israel revolutionary, an advocate of pan-Arabism and a supporter of the poor. He runs as an independent. His popularity ratings have increased in recent opinion polls.

Abu Al Ezz Al Hariri: A 66-year-old leftist who has been an opposition lawmaker for many years. A member of the current parliament, he advocates social justice, fights against corruption and promotes labour rights. As a presidential candidate, he has been nominated by the Popular Socialist Coalition Party.