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| Africa North |
| Record 62% Turnout in Egypt Vote but Results Delayed |
| 2011-12-03 |
| [An Nahar] Egypt said on Friday the country's first post-revolution election had seen a record turnout but it again delayed the release of full results expected to show Islamist candidates sweep to victory. At a presser by the election commission chief Abdul Moez Ibrahim, already pushed back by two days, he began announcing figures before abruptly leaving the room saying he had "no more energy" and had "run out of gas." His incomplete announcement of results in some constituencies made it difficult to discern the overall trend, but he did reveal that turnout had been a record "since the Pharaohs" at 62 percent. His prepared opening statement said Egypt had "passed from an era of dictatorship to a democratic era" -- a reference to the abuses of the regime of Hosni Mubarak ...The former President-for-Life of Egypt, dumped by popular demand in early 2011... who was tossed in a January-February uprising. More than eight million Egyptians embraced their new democratic freedoms this week in Cairo and second-city Alexandria in the first election since the toppling of the 30-year rule of president Mubarak. The results are expected to show the Moslem Brüderbund, a moderate Islamist movement banned for decades, as the dominant force, but with a strong showing by hardline Salafi candidates. Forecasts in the local media and from the parties themselves put the Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) at around 40 percent, the Salafis at about 20 percent and a secular liberal alliance trailing in third place. There was no immediate announcement of when full results would be revealed, but Ibrahim said they would be posted on the Internet. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #7 The Suez Canal may be more important than ever. I don't know why that hasn't been mentioned so far. I admit the Arab spring has destabilized the region. Israel can focus more on Iran. It may take years to get their respective houses in order. The more internal fighting the better. I recall Dick Chaney did mention this as a possible effort some time ago. |
| Posted by: Dale 2011-12-03 17:40 |
| #6 methinks Steve has it. that or negotiating with Jimmah Carter to make sure the 'right' Islamists take over after they boogie out with everything not tied down. |
| Posted by: abu do you love 2011-12-03 15:43 |
| #5 The army won't skew the vote. The army will delay the reporting just a bit longer so that the generals can finish removing from Egypt everything that can be removed. Then they'll skedaddle to live off their foreign bank accounts and let the Islamicists take over. Bad times coming in North Africa, folks... |
| Posted by: Steve White 2011-12-03 12:56 |
| #4 and where will this food come from? |
| Posted by: bman 2011-12-03 10:21 |
| #3 The army will skew the vote, but likely towards moderation. I am guessing that the MB will get the largest number of votes, but not enough to have a majority on their own. They have already told the Salafists that they won't form a government with them, which means an alliance with the secular party. This would probably make the majority of Egyptians more comfortable, and not foul Egypt's foreign relations too much. In any case, the MB will first try to cement its lead like the Islamists in Turkey, by carrying out a bunch of long overdue social reforms that put food on tables. |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2011-12-03 07:29 |
| #2 The Army does, RJ. |
| Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2011-12-03 07:08 |
| #1 Deayed until the Ballot dan be rigged to show the Islamics winning. Quote Joseph Stalin. "It matters not who votes, But who counts the votes". |
| Posted by: Redneck Jim 2011-12-03 01:52 |