EGYPT: Egyptians line up at polling stations for second day of voting in landmark presidential elections

Record ID: 864031

  • Title: EGYPT: Egyptians line up at polling stations for second day of voting in landmark presidential elections
  • Date: 25th May 2012
  • Summary: CAIRO, EGYPT (MAY 24, 2012) (REUTERS) VOTERS LINED UP OUTSIDE 'BAHEYA BURHANEYA' SCHOOL WHICH SERVES AS POLLING STATION IN CAIRO'S SAYYEDA AYESHA NEIGHBORHOOD VOTERS LINED UP POLICE GUARDING POLLING STATION ENTRANCE VARIOUS FO VOTERS LINED UP (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) MAN LINED UP TO VOTE, MOHAMED HASSAN, SAYING: "We want a president who, first of all, will realize that we have responsibility over him. And that afterwards, in front of God, he is responsible for us and will be held to account. So he should, above all, fear God, and take care of the poor people, because we have reached a stage where we truly need a miracle to bring us out of the awful circumstances that we are living through." VOTERS LINED UP WIDE OF SCHOOL
  • Embargoed: 9th June 2012 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Egypt
  • City:
  • Country: Egypt
  • Topics: Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVAELFBXOV15X0X0C2Q5M9P43825
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  • Story Text: Egypt resumed its first free presidential election on Thursday (May 24) after a first day of voting that passed off mostly calmly, apart from a stone-throwing attack on candidate Ahmed Shafiq, who was premier for a few days before Hosni Mubarak fell.
    The race broadly pits Islamist candidates against secular ones like Shafiq and Amr Moussa, the former Arab League chief who previously served as Mubarak's foreign minister.
    Turnout on Wednesday seemed lower than in an earlier parliamentary vote when Islamists swept up most seats.
    Long queues and a scorching sun deterred some voters and many government workers will have delayed voting to Thursday, when they have a day off.
    More than 100 voters were already queuing at one Cairo voting station when the polls reopened at 8 a.m. (0600 GMT).
    Mohamed Hassan, who was queueing to vote said: "We want a president who, first of all, will realize that we have responsibility over him. And that afterwards, in front of God, he is responsible for us and will be held to account. So he should, above all, fear God, and take care of the poor people, because we have reached a stage where we truly need a miracle to bring us out of the awful circumstances that we are living through."
    The vote is a crucial stage in a turbulent army-led transition racked by protests, violence and political disputes.
    The generals who took charge when Mubarak was ousted on Feb. 11, 2011, have promised to hand over to the new president by July 1.
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