Egyptian election commission announced it was suspending its preparations for the presidential vote later this month after feeling "insulted" by MPs during a parliamentary session Monday. The commission said in a statement it would not meet as planned Tuesday with candidates and representatives of the press waiting for "better conditions".
It is unclear at this stage, if the decision may have an impact on the elections, whose first round is scheduled on 23 and 24 May.
The commission accuses MPs of insulting its members, whose legitimacy is disputed by some Egyptians. They feel the commission tends to compromise with the old regime of Hosni Mubarak.
The decision aroused wide reactions in Egypt's political arena. Some accused the Islamist Party of Freedom and Justice in attempts to disrupt the work of the election process.
On his part, presidential candidate Amr Moussa has expressed his surprise by the decision. In a statement issued on Tuesday, Musa stressed "the need to protect democracy" and not to take any action that would influence its track.
