EGYPT’S presidential election began in earnest this weekend as Establishment favourite Field Marshal Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi’s only opponent kicked off his campaign.

National Salvation Front candidate Hamdeen Sabahi, who is backed by a coalition of left and liberal groups, promised in the southern city of Assiut to "achieve democracy, development and freedom for each Egyptian." 

He vowed to keep the military out of politics and abolish a law that bans protests not approved by police

Mr Sabahi finished third in 2012 elections with 21.5 per cent of the vote.

He said he had chosen the south for his campaign launch because he hopes to eliminate poverty and unemployment, as well as end previous policies that concentrated development on the capital.

US-trained Field Marshal Sissi, who led the July 3 military coup and is widely expected to win the May 26 poll, launched his election campaign on Twitter at midnight with the hashtag "Long Live Egypt."

Posters in Cairo present him as a strongman in "the fight against terror."