Fifteen months after ousting Hosni Mubarak, Egypt is holding its first ever free presidential election.

Some fifty million people are eligible to vote.

The military council which assumed presidential power in February 2011 has promised a fair vote and civilian rule.

The name to watch are:

• Ahmed Shafiq, a former commander of the air force and briefly prime minister during February 2011 protests
• Amr Moussa, who has served as foreign minister and head of the Arab League
• Mohammed Mursi, who heads Muslim Brotherhood’s Freedom and Justice Party
• Abdul Moneim Aboul Fotouh, an independent Islamist candidate

As a new constitution has yet to be approved, it is unclear what powers the president will have.