 |
|
Egyptians stand in front of a polling station after being denied entry to the polling station in Kafr al-Sheikh (Reuters)
|
By
Hamdy Al-Husseini, Ahmed Fathy IOL Staff
CAIRO,
December 8, 2005 (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies) – The Muslim
Brotherhood has won more 12 seats in the runoffs of Egypt's final
round of parliamentary elections, consolidating its position as the
major opposition group in Egypt's parliament.
The
group said on its Web site Thursday, December 8, that 12 of its 35
candidates won majority of votes in the runoffs of the final phase of
parliamentary elections.
Three
MB candidates in Sharkiya, three in Dakahliya, three in Sohag, two in
Kafr El-Sheikh and one in Damietta won in the Wednesday's runoff
polls, it added.
The
officially banned but largely tolerated group maintained that 20 of 35
candidates contesting seats had lost, accusing President Hosni
Mubarak's ruling National Democratic Party (NDP) of "stealing
their victories".
The
latest unofficial results brought the MB's total number of seats in
the next parliament to at least 88 out of a total of 454, more than
five times their tally of 17 in the 2000 elections.
Two
results are still to be counted and three races have been postponed
for legal disputes.
Official
results from the final day of voting are expected later Thursday or
Friday.
The
final round of Egypt's month-long parliamentary polls was marred by
widespread voter obstruction as well as violent clashes that resulted
in the deaths of eight people.
Biggest
Losers
Some
30 NDP candidates also won majority of votes in the runoff polls,
raising its seats in the new parliament to 240 seats. Other 55
independents also won in the Wednesday's vote.
Secular
opposition parties have also been the biggest losers in the race,
securing only a handful of seats.
In
Wednesday's voting, Dia El-Din Dawoud, leader of the Arab nationalist
and leftist Nasserite party, lost his seat.
Mubarak's
ruling party is expected to secure a clear two-thirds majority after
candidates who left the NDP to run as independents rejoin the party,
as has happened in previous stages of the elections.
The
party needs a two-thirds majority to retain control of any amendments
to the constitution in a parliamentary vote, Reuters said.
This
could be important if the government tries to change the system of
presidential elections.
A
constitutional amendment this year opened the way for Egypt's first
presidential race in September but the rules make it almost impossible
for a rival to stand against the NDP candidate in 2011.
But
critics say the NDP may be happy to keep such restrictions in place to
ensure a constitutionally legitimate succession by Mubarak's
41-year-old son Gamal, a senior official of the ruling party. The NDP
denies any such intentions.
The
Wednesday's polls turned into scenes reminiscent of the Palestinian
Intifada with youngsters hurling stones at security forces, who opened
their fire randomly killing at least eight people.
Independent
monitors have reported the use of NDP-hired thugs to intimidate
supporters of opposition candidates and voters.
IOL
has revealed that Egyptian security agents directed machete- and
club-wielding gangs in attacks against voters and supporters of
opposition candidates in the second round of voting.
