Presidential elections are ‘disaster’ for Egypt, say reformists

Egypt’s run-off presidential election, between a Muslim Brotherhood candidate and a member of the old regime, has been described as a ‘disaster’ by reformist lawyers, politicians and activists.

The Brotherhood’s Mohamed Mursi and former prime minister Ahmed Shafiq will go head-to-head on 16 and 17 June to decide who will become the country’s first leader in the post-Mubarak era. Mursi topped the poll with 24.3 per cent of the votes, while Shafiq received 23.3 per cent. Turnout was surprisingly low, at 46 per cent.

‘Both are disasters for Egypt,’ says Alaa Shalaby, secretary-general of the Arab Organisation for Human Rights, based in Cairo. ‘This is the worst dilemma Egypt could be facing right now, and many Egyptians will suffer.’ Read more