Faith

Muslim Brotherhood Candidate Wins Run-Off Spot in Egyptian Presidential Election

Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood Candidate Mohammed Morsi Wins Run Off Election Spot

Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood presidential candidate Mohammed Morsi, casts his vote inside a polling station, in Zakazik 80 Kilometers (50 miles) north of Cairo, Egypt, Wednesday, May 23, 2012. (AP Photo/Ahmed Gomaa)

CAIRO (AP) — The candidate of Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood won a spot in a run-off election, according to partial results Friday from Egypt’s first genuinely competitive presidential election. A former prime minister and a leftist were vying for second place and a chance to run against him to become the country’s next leader.

The run-off will be held on June 16-17, pitting the two top contenders from the first round of voting held Wednesday and Thursday. The victor is to be announced June 21.

The landmark vote — the fruit of last year’s uprising that toppled longtime leader Hosni Mubarak — turned into a heated battle between Islamist candidates and secular figures rooted in Mubarak’s old regime. The most polarizing figures in the race were the Muslim Brotherhood’s Mohammed Morsi and former air force commander and former prime minister Ahmed Shafiq, a veteran of Mubarak’s rule.

Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood Candidate Mohammed Morsi Wins Run Off Election Spot

Symbol for the Muslim Brotherhood.

By midday Friday, the vote counting had been completed in 20 of the country’s 27 provinces – though workers were still plowing through the paper ballots from Egypt’s biggest cities, Cairo and its sister city Giza and the Mediterranean coastal city of Alexandria.

Morsi was in the lead with 30.8 percent of the ballots so far, according to the independent newspaper Al-Masry Al-Youm, which was compiling reports from counters. That is likely enough to put him into the run-off.

But the race for second place remained narrow. Shafiq took 21 percent of the votes so far, while Hamdeen Sabahi had 20 percent, according to Al-Masry Al-Youm. The Brotherhood said in a statement that Shafiq would be in the run-off along with Morsi.

Sabahi, a leftist who models himself after the nationalist, socialist ideology of former President Gamal Abdel-Nasser, has emerged as a surprise contender during the two days of voting. He had been considered a dark horse behind four other candidates, but he surged among Egyptians looking for an alternative to both Islamists and the former regime figures known as “feloul,“ or ”remnants.”

Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood Candidate Mohammed Morsi Wins Run Off Election Spot

Mohammed Morsi (AP)

In various independent tallies, Abdel-Moneim Abolfotoh, a moderate Islamist some had seen as another alternative candidate, was in fourth and former foreign minister Amr Moussa was a distant fifth. Newspapers reported 50 percent turnout among the 50 million eligible voters, though the election commission has not yet released an official figure.

The Brotherhood is hoping for a presidential victory to seal its political domination of Egypt, which would be a dramatic turnaround from the decades it was repressed under Mubarak. It already holds nearly half of parliament after victories in elections late last year.

The group has promised a “renaissance” of Egypt, not only reforming Mubarak-era corruption and reviving decrepit infrastructure, but also bringing a greater degree of rule by Islamic law. That prospect has alarmed more moderate Muslims, secular Egyptians and the Christian minority, who all fear restrictions on civil rights and worry that the Brotherhood shows similar domineering tendencies as Mubarak.

“I think we are on the verge of a new era. We trusted God, we trusted in the people, we trusted in our party,” prominent Brotherhood figure Essam el-Erian said at a news conference late Thursday night, just hours after polls closed, when the group first claimed a Morsi victory.


A Morsi verus Shafiq runoff would likely be a particularly heated race.

Each has repeatedly spoken of the dangers, real or imaginary, if the other becomes president. Morsi has said there would be massive street protests if a “feloul” wins, arguing it could only be the result of rigging.

Shafiq, on his part, has said it would be “unacceptable” if an Islamist takes the presidential office, echoing the rhetoric of Mubarak, his longtime mentor who devoted much of his 29-year rule to fighting Islamists. Still, Shafiq‘s campaign has said it would accept the election’s result.

And each fires up strong emotions among the public.

Shafiq drew support among Egyptians who fear Islamists or want a perceived “strongman” to bring stability after 16 months of economic and political turmoil and bloodshed since Muabrak’s fall. But he also raises the venom of many who see him as another Mubarak-style autocrat, rooted in a regime that was notorious for corruption and police brutality.

Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood Candidate Mohammed Morsi Wins Run Off Election Spot

Secular Egyptians fear the prospect of greater religion in government if Morsi wins. Moreover, the Brotherhood faced a backlash from many of the voters who supported it in the parliament election but later grew disillusioned. Some accused it of trying to overly monopolize power like Mubarak’s ruling party once did.

Morsi’s showing in the partial results was a considerable drop from the around 50 percent support the Brotherhood received in the parliament vote.

Still, Morsi benefited from the might of the Brotherhood’s well-organized electoral machine, the nation’s strongest.

“We need a president who gets rid of the former corrupt and oppressive system and brings Egypt back to the position it deserves economically and internationally,” said Rizk Mohammed, a contractor voting with his family in Cairo on Thursday – all for Morsi.

At another station Thursday in the Cairo district of el-Zawiya el-Hamra, several women in line to vote debated.

“I like the personality of Shafiq. He is strong enough to lift the country,” said Suheir Abdel-Mumin.

Somaiya Imam, still undecided on whom to choose, replied with a reference to Islamist candidates, saying: “Don’t you think we should vote for the candidate who holds the Quran?”

“We voted for them before and they let us down,” Abdel-Mumin responded, referring to the Brotherhood‘s victories in last year’s parliamentary elections. “They want everything – the presidency, parliament and government. They are never satisfied.”

Comments (35)

  • tothepoint
    Posted on May 26, 2012 at 5:24pm

    Obama has members of the Muslim Brotherhood in the Department of Homeland Security and also working in the White House. That is shameful.
    So, it is no surprise that Obama supported this Egyptian uprising and will, no doubt, support this Muslim Brotherhood member who is attempting to win the Egyptian election.
    When Obama is finally led off the White House grounds, the White House will need a good housecleaning of all the anti-American staff which Obama has put into place.

    Report Post »  
  • blair152
    Posted on May 26, 2012 at 1:49pm

    Here‘s hoping that Mubarek’s last prime minister wins.

    Report Post »  
  • 2barbraw
    Posted on May 25, 2012 at 3:38pm

    Check this webpage out. http://www.howieunveilsgodsshield.com/MuslimBrotherhood.html I heard this guy Jan 2011 declare a MB President!! OMG

    Report Post »  
  • Attila_the_Hunney
    Posted on May 25, 2012 at 3:35pm

    EEEWWwwwwwwwww. muslims… Let’s make sure they stay in the sand lands.

    Report Post »  
    • db321
      Posted on May 26, 2012 at 8:39am

      Oh – Attila – don’t worry they will probably stay over in their Home land – Dont worry, this election was a fluke, who would have ever thought that the Muslim Brotherhood could win an election and Mohammed was very clear – while he wants his followers to have World Domination – he did instruct his demonic followers to leave your community alone – so you wont have to worry about them bothering you.

      Also Attila, if you want to get the real scoop on the Muslim Brotherhood plans and their future – open the Bible to the last Chapter – it is explains it all. That’s were I get my news!

      Report Post » db321  
  • Right as Rain
    Posted on May 25, 2012 at 2:19pm

    Of course the Brotherhood is gonna win…it was ordained to be so by the great American Messiah…

    Still trying to figure out the duplicitous nature of the “Great Satan” AND the “Great Messiah” being one in the same….damn that Barry is good!

    Report Post » Right as Rain  
  • Bobby D
    Posted on May 25, 2012 at 12:27pm

    No surprise here. Millions of US told you this would happen!!! I, for one, have intel. that leads me to assert that the president shares in this victory of evil!!!

    Furthermore, if 0bama seizes the White House, again, this manner and form of rule will make a concerted run to overtake what is left of America!!!!

    Report Post »  
  • nosharia
    Posted on May 25, 2012 at 11:56am

    Obama is planning on infesting the entire middle east with the muslim brotherhood at the expense of the American taxpayers. Imagine having your revolution financed by the president of the USA.

    Report Post »  
  • Grace1798
    Posted on May 25, 2012 at 11:06am

    Egyptians, leave now before they take over because there will come a time when you won’t be allowed to leave.

    Report Post » Grace1798  
    • AvengerK
      Posted on May 25, 2012 at 11:34am

      My bet is that the Egyptian Army will step in at some point. They’re the real power in Egypt even before Moubarak was ousted. But Glenn Beck called this one with almost prophetic accuracy. The only ones blind to the Muslim Brotherhood were the liberals and their mouthpieces who invested some warm and fuzzy “people’s revolution” while not examining who was behind all the upheaval. The only organized party throughout the turmoil was the Muslim Brotherhood, they’ve been planning for a situation like this for decades. I believe the army will pander to the MB candidate for as long as it can tolerate then you’ll see a crackdown. The Egyptian Army loves American money too much to let that payday slip away from them.

      Report Post »  
  • marybethelizabeth
    Posted on May 25, 2012 at 10:38am

    Mr. Beck is gloating.
    He sees an ally in his quest for a worldwide fascist takeover.

    The Fascists have always thought of the Muslim Brotherhood as a component of the Aryan Master Race.

    Report Post » marybethelizabeth  
    • Bob_R_OathKeeper
      Posted on May 25, 2012 at 11:28am

      Put down the crack pipe, apparently you only have a few brain cells left and they are crying out to live.

      Report Post » Bob_R_OathKeeper  
  • mike057
    Posted on May 25, 2012 at 9:54am

    This is Obamsters idea of democracy by putting the radical Islamists in charge. A new Caliphate is on the way. WE DO NOT WANT THIS OR SHARIA LAW IN THE USA.

    Report Post » mike057  
  • lukerw
    Posted on May 25, 2012 at 9:38am

    Gommer: Surprise… surprise… surprise

    Report Post » lukerw  
  • DoctorRon
    Posted on May 25, 2012 at 9:23am

    Although representative democracy is the best governmental system in the world, sometimes the people vote against their best interests, like Egypt today and the U.S. in 2008.

    Report Post » DoctorRon  
    • mtcountrygrl
      Posted on May 25, 2012 at 10:35am

      THis and high interest rates were all that separated Obama from Carter. Now he has his emerging Iran. If the Fed stops artificially keeping the interest rates down, Obama really will be Carter2.0. Any American hostages in Egypt yet?

      Report Post »  
  • EP46
    Posted on May 25, 2012 at 9:20am

    It is NOT who votes….but…WHO COUNTS the votes…….get ready America

    The Russians are not happy with Putin…they did not vote him in, but he HAD the most VOTES …see what happens in Egypt…we all knew a year ago.

    Report Post »  
  • TWO BITS
    Posted on May 25, 2012 at 9:11am

    Egyptians lining up to vote is quite a contrast to the chaos in Tahrir Square. One voter, referring to the Muslim Brotherhood said: “It’s scary. The simple and poor will fall for that”.
    The Brotherhood, Hezbollah, and Hamas use the tactic of meager hand-outs to the underprivileged, but their victims are then caught in a web of dependency. The future of the Middle East is likely to reflect their past of violence and hatred.

    Report Post » TWO BITS  
  • Gonzo
    Posted on May 25, 2012 at 9:05am

    Will we cut off aid to Egypt? Our tax dollars already fund our enemy in Pakistan, I have no doubt we will continue to fund Egypt. Most of that funding is in the form of military aid. So with the M.B. in charge, we will be funding the attempted destruction of our one true ally in the region. Total insanity.

    Report Post » Gonzo  
  • spfoam1
    Posted on May 25, 2012 at 8:50am

    If the Muslim brotherhood takes power in Egypt there will be a slaughter of non Muslims and Muslims who do not toe the line of the Muslim brotherhood. If the population there elects someone like Mohammed Morsi then I think it is inevitable that the population, not just the leadership and military, will be held responsible when the west retaliates for the next nasty attack. Think Dresden or Hiroshima. Islam is not going to give us any other option, because there is no way the citizens of the US will convert to Islam and bow to the Koran. This man displays the same hate I encountered when I met some very wealthy Lebanese here in the US. They smile while they plot your demise.

    Report Post »  
  • Independent4233
    Posted on May 25, 2012 at 8:35am

    Everyy time I look at a photo of this guy I get the impression he doesn’t bathe at all.

    There’s a good chance too that he has fleas in his beard.

    If he’s elected, all nations he visits should insist he be showered, powdered and de-fleaed before being allowed entry..

    Report Post »  
  • mjazzguitar
    Posted on May 25, 2012 at 8:27am

    When whoever wins, the Christians will still continue to be murdered, raped, robbed, and persecuted, and the West and the UN will do nothing about it.

    Report Post »  
  • moussiagilda
    Posted on May 25, 2012 at 8:17am

    LET HIM RULE EGYPT!

    Brotherhood. Nothing wrong at all with brotherhood.

    Guess what. They don’t hate women.

    Report Post »  
    • jhaydeng
      Posted on May 25, 2012 at 8:26am

      Those lucky women!

      Report Post »  
    • Inlightofthings
      Posted on May 25, 2012 at 9:55am

      MOUSSIAGILDA
      Posted on May 25, 2012 at 8:17am

      “Guess what. They don’t hate women.”

      Prove it…!

      Report Post »  
    • Bob_R_OathKeeper
      Posted on May 25, 2012 at 11:31am

      Of course they don’t hate them, they need something to breed with, the goats just don’t produce viable people, look at Obama.

      Report Post » Bob_R_OathKeeper  
  • christopher.duncan2388
    Posted on May 25, 2012 at 8:11am

    So just what does it say about your country when the first thing you do with your freedom is elect a terrorist?

    Report Post » christopher.duncan2388  
    • Bob_R_OathKeeper
      Posted on May 25, 2012 at 11:39am

      Lazy people want to be ruled as they are even too lazy to make decisions and would rather have people do it for them, no matter the cost, same thing with liberals.

      Report Post » Bob_R_OathKeeper  
  • Mrtoohappy
    Posted on May 25, 2012 at 8:09am

    We all know that the Brotherhood is going to win. That will make Obama happy and we can send them even more tax dollars. I wonder how the Egyptians going to fell this time next year when they find out just how bad these mad man are.

    Report Post »  
  • HappyHaloHousewife
    Posted on May 25, 2012 at 7:40am

    It’s a good thing they have separate man/woman voting lines. I would hate to see any kind of fraternizing when you‘re supposed to be choosing the country’s next leader.

    Report Post » HappyHaloHousewife  
    • poorrichard09
      Posted on May 25, 2012 at 8:20am

      They probably take all the women’s ballots out back and burn them.

      Entering a “New Era”, yup most likely known as The Tribulation.

      Report Post »  
  • historyguy48
    Posted on May 25, 2012 at 7:26am

    I’m shocked! Does this mean that the Muslim Spring is over?
    GB was correct again!
    Now lets hope he isn’t correct about the Caliphate. I know which way I am betting and things will get interesting in July of this year. Whack job only has until August to get the party rolling so the prophecy will be correct.
    Did Barry block the laser equipped jets that Israel was supposed to get?

    Report Post » historyguy48  
  • commonsenseguy
    Posted on May 25, 2012 at 7:25am

    no way,could not have happen obama said they did not want the presidency,i will really began to pray for Israel and america,obama should be proud that he and his idiot friends made this possible but helping over throw their government and help win this election with our taxpayer money in the form of propaganda, when obama is voted out in december he will have friends of the terrorist kind to move in wroth,i can’t wait till december.

    Report Post »  
    • DoctorRon
      Posted on May 25, 2012 at 9:26am

      Common Sense Guy – Please vote in November, not December. That’s when the Democrats vote.

      Report Post » DoctorRon  

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