Egyptians vote in first free election

23 May 2012, 11:11 pm   -   Source: AAP
Thirteen candidates are contesting the two-day election. (Getty)

Thirteen candidates are contesting the two-day election. (Getty)

A two-day presidential election in Egypt will bring down the final curtain on decades of authoritarian rule.

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Egyptians are streaming to polling stations to freely choose a president for the first time in generations.

Waiting hours in line, some debated to the last minute over their vote in a historic two-day election that started on Wednesday.

A sense of amazement at having a choice pervaded the crowds in line, along with fervent expectation over what direction a new leader will take a country that has been in turmoil ever since mass protests toppled the man who ruled with an iron fist for nearly 30 years.

Some backed veterans of Mubarak's regime, believing they can bring stability after months of rising crime, a crumbling economy and bloody riots. Others were horrified by the thought, believing the "feloul" - or "remnants" of the regime - will keep Egypt locked under autocracy and thwart democracy.

Islamists, particularly the Muslim Brotherhood, saw their chance to lead a country where they were repressed for decades and to implement their version of Islamic law. Their critics recoiled, fearing theocracy.

"You can't tell me, 'Vote for this or else you're a sinner!"' Wael Ramadan argued with another man in line at a polling station in the impoverished Cairo neighbourhood of Basateen. "We never said that," protested the man. "Yes, you did," Ramadan shot back.

"The revolution changed a lot. Good things and bad things," Ramadan, a 40-year-old employee at a mobile phone company, said afterward. "The good thing is all this freedom. We are here and putting up with the trouble of waiting in line for electing a president. My vote matters. It is now a right ... Now we want a president that has a vision."

A field of 13 candidates is running in the voting on Wednesday and Thursday. The two-day first run is not expected to produce an outright winner, so a runoff between the two top vote-getters will be held June 16-17. The winner will be announced June 21. Around 50 million people are eligible to vote.

An Islamist victory will likely mean a greater emphasis on religion in government. The Muslim Brotherhood, which already dominates parliament, says it won't mimic Saudi Arabia and force women to wear veils or implement harsh punishments like amputations. But it says it does want to implement a more moderate version of Islamic law, which liberals fear will mean limitations on many rights.

The candidates from the Mubarak's regime - and, ironically, the Brotherhood, which has already held multiple talks with US officials - are most likely to maintain the alliance with the United States.

The real election battle is between four front-runners.

The main Islamist contenders are Mohammed Morsi of the powerful Brotherhood and Abdel-Moneim Abolfotoh, a moderate Islamist whose inclusive platform has won him the support of some liberals, leftists and minority Christians.

The two secular front-runners are both veterans of Mubarak's regime - former prime minister Ahmed Shafiq and former foreign minister Amr Moussa.

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