EGYPT: A senior Muslim Brotherhood figure says the organisation will respect the people and their will in the presidential election

Record ID: 572987

  • Title: EGYPT: A senior Muslim Brotherhood figure says the organisation will respect the people and their will in the presidential election
  • Date: 24th May 2012
  • Summary: CAIRO, EGYPT (MAY 23, 2012) (REUTERS) (*** FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY ***) EXTERIOR OF POLLING STATION IN CAIRO SUBURB OF 'TAGAMU AL KHAMIS' PEOPLE WAITING OUTSIDE OF 'IBN AL NAFEES SCHOOL FOR LANGUAGES' WOMEN WAITING IN LINE OUTSIDE OF POLLING STATION CLOSE ON VEILED WOMAN VARIOUS OF WOMEN OUTSIDE OF POLLING STATION MEN WAITING IN LINE OUTSIDE OF POLLING STATION PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE ABDUL MONEIM ABOL FOTOUH ENTERING POLLING STATION ABOL FOTOUH CASTING BALLOT ABOL FOTOUH LEAVING POLLING STATION (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE, ABDUL MONEIM ABOL FOTOUH, SAYING: "We must respect the results of the elections on the condition that they are free and fair and that there is no interference in them. I am certain that we are going to stand behind any president who is elected on the condition that there is no rigging of any kind." VARIOUS OF ABOL FOTOUH WALKING AWAY CAR CARRYING MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD FORMER SPIRITUAL LEADER MAHDI AKIF MAHDI AKIF GETS OUT OF CAR AND WALKS TOWARDS SCHOOL TO CAST IS VOTE (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) FORMER MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD SPIRITUAL LEADER MAHDI AKIF SAYING: "This is an Egyptian democratic celebration and will bring about, God willing, the best president of the republic --.I will salute him (next president)." MORE OF AKIF (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) FORMER MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD SPIRITUAL LEADER MAHDI AKIF SAYING: "The Muslim Brotherhood respect the people and their will for it is also their (Muslim brotherhood's) will." MORE OF AKIF WAITING TO ENTER AND VOTE U.S. REPUBLICAN PARTY CONGRESSMAN AND ELECTORAL OBSERVER, DAVID DREIER ENTERING POLLING STATION SAYING ''MABROUK'' (''CONGRATULATIONS'') DREIER SPEAKING TO ELECTION OFFICIAL DREIER LOOKING AROUND POLLING STATION DREIER SPEAKING TO ELECTION OFFICIAL DREIER BEING INTERVIEWED BY MEDIA DREIER LOOKING AROUND POLLING STATION (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) U.S. REPUBLICAN PARTY CONGRESSMAN AND ELECTORAL OBSERVER, DAVID DREIER, SAYING: ''The biggest difference that I've observed is the fact that during the parliamentary elections there was a two step process, two separate votes had to be cast. The ballot s were very complicated. Now there are 11 candidates for president and it's very simple. I've been struck with the fact that as I've seen voters go in they cast their ballots in seconds and they put them into the box, and so it seems to be moving faster.'' DREIER SPEAKING TO MEDIA FORMER CONGRESSWOMAN AND HEAD OF THE WOODROW WILSON CENTER FOR SCHOLARS, JANE HARMAN WALKING INTO POLLING STATION HARMAN TALKING TO WOMAN INSIDE POLLING STATION HARMAN TALKING TO WOMEN WHO HAVE JUST VOTED IN POLLING STATION HARMAN LOOKING ROUND POLLING STATION WOMAN FILLING IN VOTING FORM WOMAN VOTING WOMAN FILLING IN VOTING FORM WOMAN VOTING WOMAN QUEUING INSIDE POLLING STATION WOMAN QUEUING OUTSIDE POLLING STATION
  • Embargoed: 8th June 2012 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Egypt
  • Country: Egypt
  • Topics: Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVADXF012ER3BDPPH8XA6LXOG9EX
  • Story Text: The independent Islamist presidential hopeful in Egypt's unprecedented leadership election, Abdul Moneim Abol Fotouh, cast his vote during polling on Wednesday (May 23).
    He expressed confidence that the people of Egypt would stand behind whoever won, as long as the poll was seen to be fair.
    "We must respect the results of the elections on the condition that they are free and fair and that there is no interference in them. I am certain that we are going to stand behind any president who is elected on the condition that there is no rigging of any kind," he said.
    Chiming in with his comments on Wednesday was a key figure in the politically dominant Muslim Brotherhood, which is fielding its own candidate.
    Former Botherhood Spiritual Leader, Sheikh Mahdi Akif, said the Muslim Brotherhood will respect the will of the people no matter who they vote for.
    "This is an Egyptian democratic celebration and will bring about, God willing, the best president of the republic --.I will salute him (next president)."
    When asked about rumours that the Muslim Brotherhood will take to the streets and demonstrate against the next president if it is not an Islamist, Akif said: "The Muslim Brotherhood respect the people and their will for it is also their (Muslim brotherhood's) will."
    Akif was standing in line at the Fatma Anan School where he was waiting to cast his vote for president.
    Egypt's 50 million eligible voters are expected to turn out in force to determine who will lead the country after the generals, who have overseen a transition from rule by President Hosni Mubarak that has been marred by violence and protests.
    As Egyptians began voting, David Dreier, a U.S. Congressman of the Republican Party, was visiting polling stations as part of an electoral observer mission.
    Dreier spoke to media outside a polling station in central Cairo, saying he was impressed with what he had seen of the democratic process so far and that there were noticeable improvements on the parliamentary elections that ran in three stages during December 2011 and January 2012.
    ''The biggest difference I've observed is the fact that during the parliamentary process there was a two step process, two separate votes had to be cast. The ballots were very complicated. Now there are 11 candidates for president and it's is very simple. I've been struck by the fact that as I've seen voters go in they cast their ballots in seconds. It seems to be moving faster,'' he said.
    Dreier was joined by former Congresswoman Jane Harman who is head of the Woodrow Wilson Center for Scholars, a research institute.
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