Electoral law requires that each list include nine Copts — a positive discrimination mechanism that sets quotas for all minorities.

Fouad is running on the independent quota of Egyptian Liberals Party in the electoral district of Samalout in the governorate of Minya. "When I speak to people in my district, they realise that I am fully aware of the fact that we don’t have an operating hospital and that we suffer serious water pollution problems, among other things,” Fouad said.

“For now, most Copts are still under the euphoria of have been 'liberated’ from the rule of the Muslim Brotherhood by El-Sisi, who was the first president to attend a Christmas mass,” Ibrahim argued.

However, by the time of the fifth anniversary of Maspero, he added, it would be two years after the election of the "saviour-president" and one year after the election of the legislature.

“If nothing serious is done by then to remedy the grievances of discrimination that Copts complain about, this sentiment of euphoria would fast subside, and they would bypass their present ultimate fear — the possible rule of Islamists again,” he concluded.