dapoes
Veteran
- May 17, 2008
- 3,543
- 2,716
Egyptian Voters
Overwhelmingly Approve
Constitutional Changes
That Favor
The Muslim Brotherhood
Overwhelmingly Approve
Constitutional Changes
That Favor
The Muslim Brotherhood
Virtually ensures the Muslim Brotherhood will clean up during the upcoming elections.
CAIRO — Egyptian voters overwhelmingly approved a referendum on constitutional changes on Sunday that will usher in rapid elections, with the results underscoring the strength of established political organizations, particularly the Muslim Brotherhood, and the weakness of emerging liberal groups.
“It is very, very disappointing,” said Hani Shukrallah, who is active in a new liberal political party and is the editor of Ahram Online, a news Web site.
Mohamed ElBaradei, a former top United Nations nuclear official and a Nobel Prize winner planning to run for president, opposed the amendments, as did Amr Moussa, the secretary general of the Arab League, another potential presidential candidate.
In a vote remarkably free of problems, Mr. Baradei was attacked by a mob when he went to cast his ballot, fleeing a shower of rocks and bottles. His supporters said the mob was paid.
The results called into question how much the expected front-runners were really in tune with Egyptian voters.
NPR: The Brotherhood, which has strongly campaigned for the adoption of the changes, advocates the installment of an Islamic government in Egypt. The ambivalence of its position on what role women and minority Christians play under their hoped-for Islamic government — like whether they could run for president or be judges — worry large segments of society.
Opponents argued that the time frame was too quick for political parties to organize. Egypt's best organized political forces, the Muslim Brotherhood and members of the former ruling party, campaigned for passage.
Unexpected? Not so much. People didn't want to believe that Egypt will got the way of Iran. This event pretty much guarantees that. The MB took control from day one.