Egypt's new president to face daunting challenges

Whoever wins Egypt's presidential run-off, overseas investors - not to mention everyday Egyptians - will be anxious to see the new man address long-term concerns, as well as salve short-term wounds.

This week's confirmation that Egypt's first freely contested presidential election would conclude with a run-off between the representative of the Muslim Brotherhood, and the country's former prime minister, came as little surprise, even amid demands by defeated candidates for a recount due to alleged electoral violations. The two top candidates, who each received more than five million votes, will go to the polls again in June.

However, the capture of Egypt's top political office brings with it responsibilities which will weigh heavily on the victorious candidate. The country's economy has been listing badly since the last weeks of the Mubarak regime, and overseas investors and contractors, not to mention everyday Egyptians, will be anxious to see the new man and his administration address long-term concerns, as well as salve short-term wounds.

"The dominant challenge is political stability first and foremost, from a constitutional perspective as well as from a government, regulatory and administrative perspective," Aaron Bielenberg, a Dubai-based partner at US law firm Latham & Watkins, tells AMEInfo.com.