Egypt election row sparks protest

[struggle4progress]

Up to 2,000 people took to the streets of the Egyptian capital Cairo on Saturday in a protest over President Hosni Mubarak's re-election.

President Mubarak, in power for 24 years, won with 88.6% of the votes - in an election marked by low turnout.

Shouting "Hosni rigged the elections", they marched alongside Ghad party leader Ayman Nour. <snip>

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4234162.stm


Rivals call for repeat elections in Egypt

ISN SECURITY WATCH (11 September: 00.40 CET) – Egyptian opposition candidates have denounced the results of the country’s first-ever contested presidential election that saw incumbent President Hosni Mubarak win over 88 per cent of the votes. Opposition candidates are calling for a repeat election, alleging widespread fraud. The election was marred by low voter turnout. Challengers Ayman Nour and Numan Gumaa, who won 7.6 per cent and 2.9 per cent of the vote, respectively, said the result was unacceptable. However, Egypt's electoral commission has rejected the candidates' complaints, saying the claims of fraud were groundless. Nour's Ghad party has insisted he took at least 30 per cent of the vote, while Nour said many of his supporters were prevented from entering polling stations to vote.

http://www.isn.ethz.ch/news/sw/details.cfm?ID=12781


Bush congratulates Mubarak on victory

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Bush called Hosni Mubarak on Saturday to congratulate him on his victory in Egypt's first multi-candidate election, the White House said as it called for further democratic reforms.

Last Wednesday's election was marred by low turnout, voting irregularities and reports of widespread pressure for people to back Mubarak, one of Bush's strongest allies in the Middle East. Still, some of Mubarak's opponents said it was a first step toward greater democracy.

Mubarak, 77, has been in power for 24 years, re-elected in referendums in which he was the sole candidate. He won a new six-year term with 88.5 percent of the vote. Only one out of every four of the nation's 32 million registered voters cast a ballot.

White House press secretary Scott McClellan said in a statement that the United States congratulates Egyptians for holding the election. <snip>

http://www.oregonlive.com/newsflash/washington/index.ssf?/base/politics-5/1126378141166210.xml&storylist=washington

[ShockediSay]

1. Same kind of "democracy" we showed in Fla'00 and Oh'04

Rigged.