A candidate from Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood movement, Mohamed Mursi and the former Egyptian Prime Minister, Ahmed Shafiq, will compete in a presidential run-off vote as ballot counting in the Egypt’s landmark election continues.
According to the latest data, Mursi has secured 27.7 percent of votes, while Shafiq has gained 24.6 percent, after 90 percent of the ballots have been counted, Al Arabiya reported.
“It is confirmed with us that a runoff vote will be held between Dr. Mohamed Mursi and General Ahmed Shafiq, according to the numbers available to us,” Al Arabiya quoted Muslim Brotherhood’s statement as saying.
The run-off will be held on June 16-17 with the official results to be announced on June 21.
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has already hailed the elections, saying that they marked “another important milestone” in the transition to democracy.
The polls, which are expected to mark the nation's transition from the present military to civilian rule, are the first alternative elections since 2005 when Mubarak ensured a landslide victory over other candidates.
Egypt has been run by the Supreme Council of Armed Forces (SCAF) since Mubarak’s ouster in 2011. The military immediately abolished the constitution and dissolved the parliament, promising to pass the rule to civilian authorities after democratic elections.
During the transitional period, the military set up general elections, which were swept by Muslims. At the same time, they failed to agree the basics of the future constitution with political forces, leaving the country without fundamental law.
