Egyptians react to election results
- 13 years ago
Preliminary results in Egypt's first round of parliamentary elections boast a 62 percent voter turnout.
During a press conference election officials joked it was the highest voter turnout since the pharaohs ruled the land.
Only a handful of candidates won clear victories-- two from the Muslim Brotherhood party. The rest of the winners will be decided in run off elections next week.
Outside, demonstrators gathered to remember the 42 people killed in pre-election protests.
Some voters say they fear their revolutionary efforts would be for naught if conservative Islamists are voted into power.
Others are willing to give the new government a chance, saying another revolution is always an option.
(SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) EGYPTIAN MAN, MOHAMED SA'DAWAI, SAYING:
"We need to try a new system, let us give them the chance first and then we can evaluate their efforts and if they are inefficient we can turn back to the square, the square remains here."
In Egypt's complex three-phase election process, staggered over six weeks, two-thirds of the 498 seats go proportionately to party lists, with the rest to individual candidates.
Julie Noce, Reuters
During a press conference election officials joked it was the highest voter turnout since the pharaohs ruled the land.
Only a handful of candidates won clear victories-- two from the Muslim Brotherhood party. The rest of the winners will be decided in run off elections next week.
Outside, demonstrators gathered to remember the 42 people killed in pre-election protests.
Some voters say they fear their revolutionary efforts would be for naught if conservative Islamists are voted into power.
Others are willing to give the new government a chance, saying another revolution is always an option.
(SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) EGYPTIAN MAN, MOHAMED SA'DAWAI, SAYING:
"We need to try a new system, let us give them the chance first and then we can evaluate their efforts and if they are inefficient we can turn back to the square, the square remains here."
In Egypt's complex three-phase election process, staggered over six weeks, two-thirds of the 498 seats go proportionately to party lists, with the rest to individual candidates.
Julie Noce, Reuters