Hamdeen Sabahi, a left-wing politician, has joined the race to become the next president of Egypt in the forthcoming elections.

He will be competing against Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, the defence minister and army chief who is the current favourite for the presidency, particularly following the official approval of Al-Sisi’s bid by the military authority, the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (Scaf) earlier this year.

Sabahi came third in the presidential elections in 2012, and was seen as the more liberal alternative to either an Islamist candidate or someone with links to the former Mubarak regime. He is likely to attract support from the more secular sections of Egyptian society who may not want to support a member of the military.

The announcement of Sabahi’s presidency bid is already causing splits in the Tamarod group, the movement behind the original June 30 protests last year that led to the overthrowing of former president Mohamed Mursi. The organisation had originally lent its support to Al-Sisi if he was to run for president, but there are now factions within the group backing Sabahi.

Earlier in January, Egypt held a referendum on a newly amended constitution that was passed with 98 per cent approval.

The interim government also decided to bring forward the presidential elections ahead of the planned parliamentary elections. The schedule now differs to the plan originally set out by the interim government following the ousting of Mursi last July. The vote must take place within 90 days of the referendum.