Egypt to announce results of election runoff today
Source: Agencies |
June 24, 2012, Sunday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
EGYPT will release official results from divisive presidential elections today, the country's top elections commission official said yesterday, an announcement that will set the course for Egypt's political future after last year's revolution that ousted longtime ruler Hosni Mubarak but left his regime intact.
Tensions have risen since the June 16-17 runoff vote between the Muslim Brotherhood's candidate Mohammed Morsi and Mubarak's last prime minister Ahmed Shafiq, with both campaigns claiming victory by a narrow margin.
The electoral commission postponed official results that had been scheduled to be announced on Thursday, leading to speculation that the military rulers are holding results hostage to bargaining and backroom deals with the Brotherhood on the distribution of power.
Many Egyptians have rallied behind Morsi as a chance to finally rid the country of the old regime, while others support Shafiq as the best bet to counter Islamists and restore stability in the country.
Sunday's announcement could finally determine whether Egypt will be ruled by a member of the long-suppressed fundamentalist Islamic group and make a break with six decades of military rule or remain confined in the parameters of the former regime. In either case, the new president will be weakened as the military rulers will be in firm control.
A third possibility is that Egypt remains in a political limbo, if the elections commission decides to annul the runoff vote and call for new elections in some or all constituencies, due to allegations of irregularities by both sides. The military has pledged to hand over power to civilian rule by July 1.
Farouk Sultan, head of the Supreme Presidential Election Commission, said yesterday results would be announced today, but gave no further details.
The delay of election results coupled with a series of moves by the ruling military council aimed at consolidating power have largely brought the country to a standstill and raised fears of new violence if protesters are unhappy with the outcome.
Tensions have risen since the June 16-17 runoff vote between the Muslim Brotherhood's candidate Mohammed Morsi and Mubarak's last prime minister Ahmed Shafiq, with both campaigns claiming victory by a narrow margin.
The electoral commission postponed official results that had been scheduled to be announced on Thursday, leading to speculation that the military rulers are holding results hostage to bargaining and backroom deals with the Brotherhood on the distribution of power.
Many Egyptians have rallied behind Morsi as a chance to finally rid the country of the old regime, while others support Shafiq as the best bet to counter Islamists and restore stability in the country.
Sunday's announcement could finally determine whether Egypt will be ruled by a member of the long-suppressed fundamentalist Islamic group and make a break with six decades of military rule or remain confined in the parameters of the former regime. In either case, the new president will be weakened as the military rulers will be in firm control.
A third possibility is that Egypt remains in a political limbo, if the elections commission decides to annul the runoff vote and call for new elections in some or all constituencies, due to allegations of irregularities by both sides. The military has pledged to hand over power to civilian rule by July 1.
Farouk Sultan, head of the Supreme Presidential Election Commission, said yesterday results would be announced today, but gave no further details.
The delay of election results coupled with a series of moves by the ruling military council aimed at consolidating power have largely brought the country to a standstill and raised fears of new violence if protesters are unhappy with the outcome.
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