Islamist and ex-PM fight on in Egypt poll
Source: Agencies |
May 28, 2012, Monday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
THE two apparent survivors in Egypt's presidential race tried to gather support yesterday from voters dismayed at what many see as a painful second-round choice between an Islamist apparatchik and a throwback to Hosni Mubarak's era.
Both men are seeking to soften those images, lay claim to the mantle of the "revolution" that toppled Mubarak 15 months ago, and appeal to the many Egyptians who picked more centrist figures in last week's first round.
Hatem Begato, head of the electoral committee, said it was considering complaints about the voting filed by four candidates - second-placed Ahmed Shafiq, who was Mubarak's last prime minister, leftist Hamdeen Sabahy, moderate Islamist Abdel Moneim Abol Fotouh and former Arab League chief Amr Moussa.
"The (election) results will be announced on Monday or Tuesday at the latest," Begato said.
Figures cited by state media and party campaigns put Mohamed Mursi, an obscure Brotherhood insider, in a likely runoff with Shafiq, an ex-air force chief who has sworn to restore security.
But Sabahy, who came a close third, challenged his placing. "We have information that conscripts voted illegally," he told a raucous crowd of supporters in Cairo late on Saturday.
The polarized outcome has even led to suggestions - swiftly rejected by the Brotherhood - that Mursi should withdraw to allow Sabahy to go through to the second round.
"This is unconstitutional," Essam el-Erian, a leader of the Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party, said, adding that if Mursi quit, Shafiq would win by default.
The divisive turn taken by the presidential poll hit Egyptian share prices yesterday, the first day of trading since voting ended last Thursday.
Both men are seeking to soften those images, lay claim to the mantle of the "revolution" that toppled Mubarak 15 months ago, and appeal to the many Egyptians who picked more centrist figures in last week's first round.
Hatem Begato, head of the electoral committee, said it was considering complaints about the voting filed by four candidates - second-placed Ahmed Shafiq, who was Mubarak's last prime minister, leftist Hamdeen Sabahy, moderate Islamist Abdel Moneim Abol Fotouh and former Arab League chief Amr Moussa.
"The (election) results will be announced on Monday or Tuesday at the latest," Begato said.
Figures cited by state media and party campaigns put Mohamed Mursi, an obscure Brotherhood insider, in a likely runoff with Shafiq, an ex-air force chief who has sworn to restore security.
But Sabahy, who came a close third, challenged his placing. "We have information that conscripts voted illegally," he told a raucous crowd of supporters in Cairo late on Saturday.
The polarized outcome has even led to suggestions - swiftly rejected by the Brotherhood - that Mursi should withdraw to allow Sabahy to go through to the second round.
"This is unconstitutional," Essam el-Erian, a leader of the Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party, said, adding that if Mursi quit, Shafiq would win by default.
The divisive turn taken by the presidential poll hit Egyptian share prices yesterday, the first day of trading since voting ended last Thursday.
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