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Egyptians euphoric as they take to the polls to elect president in first democratic election
By Catholic Online (NEWS CONSORTIUM)
May 24th, 2012
Catholic Online (www.catholic.org)
May 24th, 2012
Catholic Online (www.catholic.org)
Euphoria in the air is everywhere in Egypt, the main reason being -
freedom. Egyptians are turning out en masse to elect their president in
the nation's first democratic presidential election.
The mood is upbeat. Jamal Elshayyal, A reporter in Alexandria, says that there is a "huge euphoria as people are finally getting to choose who will rule the country."
One woman voter, the little finger on her right hand dyed with purple ink as proof of her casted ballot, told Al Jazeera: "I feel freedom and for the first time, my voice and opinion really counts."
There was a high turnout at polling stations in Cairo where many people said they had come to vote early to avoid the blistering heat expected later in the day.
The election marks the end of a tumultuous transition marred by violence, protests and political deadlock, after a popular uprising toppled longtime President Hosni Mubarak last year.
None of the 13 candidates expected to secure more than half the votes to win outright in the first round, so a runoff between the top two is likely to be in June.
Among the contenders are former foreign minister and Arab League chief Amr Moussa, seen by many as an experienced politician and diplomat. However, like Ahmed Shafiq, Mubarak's last prime minister; he is accused of belonging to the former, repressive regime.
The powerful Muslim Brotherhood's candidate Mohamed Morsi faces competition from Abdel Moneim Aboul Fotouh, a former member of the Islamist movement who portrays himself as a consensus choice with a wide range of support.
Campaigning has been nonstop leading up to the poll, with newspapers carrying interviews and campaign adverts. Banners and posters festoon the streets.
The chief concern for voters is the Egyptian economy, which was already stagnant before the revolution and has only grown steadily worse. Nearly half of Egyptians live at or below the poverty line, defined as $2 per day, and youth unemployment is 25 per cent.
Egyptian voters will are also concerned about security. "In the past 15 months after the revolution, security has been a top concern for Egyptians," Al Jazeera correspondent Rawya Rageh says. "There has been lawlessness, all sorts of reports of kidnappings, carjackings, and home invasions - the kind of violence this country was never used to."
There are questions "whether the police force, which was discredited during the 18-day revolution, is unable, or simply unwilling, to handle security in the country."
© 2012, Catholic Online. Distributed by NEWS CONSORTIUM.