Egyptians start voting in presidential run-off

CAIRO - Egyptians started their historic voting in the presidential run-off between Muslim Brotherhood's Mohamed Morsi and former prime minister Ahmed Shafiq.

Women cast their vote at a polling station in Cairo June 16, 2012. Egypt's first free presidential election concludes this weekend in a run-off between the Muslim Brotherhood's candidate Mohamed Morsy and Ahmed Shafik, the last prime minister of ousted leader Hosni Mubarak.[Photo/Agencies]

Polling stations across the country opened at 8 am (0600 GMT) , with the deployment of troops and police for security and order. Long queue-ups of voters were waiting outside many booths.

The total number of eligible voters is about 50 million. The voting of Egyptians abroad had completed but results have not been announced.

The Egyptian government has urged citizens to participate in the voting and accept the results, which will be officially announced on Thursday.

"We are at a real crossroad, so we should do our duty to decide on our state's future. Egypt is to be a civil state or a religious one," said 34-year-old Mohamed Atteia, waiting outside the Rawda school polling station.

"I will vote for Shafiq, not because he is the best, but I vote for a civil state," he said.

Fatma Mohamed, 54 , walked in a difficult way and could not stand on her legs for more than ten minutes. " I'm very afraid of the future of Egypt, that's why I'm keen to cast my vote despite the pains of my legs," she told Xinhua.

The woman said she was not persuaded by the Muslim Brotherhood as they could not bring the stability of the state. She would vote for Shafiq.

Bosy Kahled didn't cast his vote in the first round. "But I am keen on voting now after I really felt that the state is in a hard time, between the revolution and the former regime."

"The state needs stability and development. The Islamists- dominated parliament was dissolved and now we are restarting. The MB group can't be trusted in the political life, so I'm willing to vote for Shafiq although I voted for leftist Sabahi in the first round," said 33-year-old Hanaa Ali.

There ware also voters who felt no hope at all.

"In fact , after dissolving the parliament, we got back to the zero point. This is because of the ill management of the transitional period, and I'm coming now to void my vote, as I'm not persuaded by both candidates," said Moneer Zkareya, a 29-year- old girl.

In the first round vote, the turnout was 46 percent. Morsi won 24.4 percent of the votes and Shafiq 23.3 percent.

The run-off came just two days after the Supreme Constitutional Court voided the Islamists-dominated People's Assembly (lower house of parliament) as the parliament election law was unconstitutional. The same court also ruled the political isolation law targeting former regime officials unconstitutional, ending the debate over Shafiq's qualification.

The new president will assume office without a new constitution and parliament. The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) reportedly will issue a supplementary constitutional declaration to make arrangements for the coming period.

The ruling military council took over power in February 2011, after Hosni Mubarak was forced to resign under pressure of 18 days of mass protests against his 29-year rule.  The constitution was suspended and parliament dissolved shortly after Mubarak's fall.

From November last year to February this year, Egyptians elected the two houses of parliament. Islamist parties occupied more than 70 percent of the seats in both chambers.

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