Suspicion dominates Egypt vote
Source: Agencies |
June 17, 2012, Sunday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
FACED with a choice between Hosni Mubarak's ex-prime minister and an Islamist candidate, Egyptians entered their latest round of elections yesterday in an atmosphere of suspicion, resignation and worry, voting in a presidential runoff that will mean the difference between installing a remnant of the old regime and bringing Islam into government.
The race between Ahmed Shafiq, a career air force officer like Mubarak, and the Muslim Brotherhood's Mohammed Morsi, a US-trained engineer, has deeply divided the country, 16 months after a stunning uprising by millions forced the authoritarian Mubarak to step down after 29 years in office.
The two-day vote is taking place under the shadow of dramas over the past week that effectively mean the military generals who took power after Mubarak's ouster will continue to rule despite promises to hand over authority to the elected president by July 1. The generals took over legislative powers after Egypt's highest court on Thursday ordered the dissolution of the parliament elected just six months ago, and the military made a de facto declaration of martial law.
As a result, few voters showed the sense of celebration visible in previous votes or confidence in the future. Among many, the mood was one of anxiety - whether bitterness that their "revolution" had stalled, fears that whoever wins protests will erupt, or deep suspicion that the political system was being manipulated.
"People are depressed, we returned to square one," Abu Bakr Said, a lawyer and a Morsi supporter, said referring to Thursday's court ruling, which wiped out the only elected body in the country.
"We have no confidence now in any election and I know that a second revolution is coming," he said as he waited in line outside a Cairo polling center.
Some waiting in lines at polling stations said they were voting against a candidate as much as for a favorite. Anti-Shafiq voters said they wanted to stop a figure they fear will perpetuate Mubarak's regime; anti-Morsi voters feared he would hand the country over to Brotherhood domination to turn it into an Islamic state.
The balloting will produce Egypt's first president since the ouster of Mubarak, now serving a life sentence for failing to prevent the killing of 900 protesters during the uprising that toppled his regime.
The race between Ahmed Shafiq, a career air force officer like Mubarak, and the Muslim Brotherhood's Mohammed Morsi, a US-trained engineer, has deeply divided the country, 16 months after a stunning uprising by millions forced the authoritarian Mubarak to step down after 29 years in office.
The two-day vote is taking place under the shadow of dramas over the past week that effectively mean the military generals who took power after Mubarak's ouster will continue to rule despite promises to hand over authority to the elected president by July 1. The generals took over legislative powers after Egypt's highest court on Thursday ordered the dissolution of the parliament elected just six months ago, and the military made a de facto declaration of martial law.
As a result, few voters showed the sense of celebration visible in previous votes or confidence in the future. Among many, the mood was one of anxiety - whether bitterness that their "revolution" had stalled, fears that whoever wins protests will erupt, or deep suspicion that the political system was being manipulated.
"People are depressed, we returned to square one," Abu Bakr Said, a lawyer and a Morsi supporter, said referring to Thursday's court ruling, which wiped out the only elected body in the country.
"We have no confidence now in any election and I know that a second revolution is coming," he said as he waited in line outside a Cairo polling center.
Some waiting in lines at polling stations said they were voting against a candidate as much as for a favorite. Anti-Shafiq voters said they wanted to stop a figure they fear will perpetuate Mubarak's regime; anti-Morsi voters feared he would hand the country over to Brotherhood domination to turn it into an Islamic state.
The balloting will produce Egypt's first president since the ouster of Mubarak, now serving a life sentence for failing to prevent the killing of 900 protesters during the uprising that toppled his regime.
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