Michael Munīr, the leader of the al-Hayāh Party, rejected accusations that Copts supported Shafīq, adding the religious groups are propagating these claims to shift the battle.

“Copts’ votes were divided between Mūsá and Sabbāhī. The latter garnered many Coptic young people’s votes. However, I cannot deny that some have voted for Shafīq. Any observer of results and figures may find out that the biggest chunk of the voting bloc for Shafīq came from Lower Egypt and Delta governorates, where there are no intensive Christian presence,” said Munīr.

He elaborated that the optimal solution is that the Muslim Brotherhood withdraw its candidate out of the runoff race and muster their strength behind Hamdīn Sabbāhī, who came third after Mursī and Shafīq, if they really sought national interests. [Mahmūd Mikkāwī and Sāmih Lāshīn, al-Ahrām, May 28, p. 5] Read original text in Arabic