Egyptian Presidential Election Moving Along Smoothly
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Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images(CAIRO) — For the most part, things went very smoothly during the first day of Egypt’s presidential elections as voters made their picks for the person they want to run their country after Hosni Mubarak’s 30 years of authoritarian rule ended with his resignation in February 2011.
Those who didn’t get around to casting their ballots will be back on Thursday for round two of the voting.
Amr Moussa, a one-time Arab League chief, and Abdel Moneim Abol Fotouh, a former member of the Muslim Brotherhood, are considered frontrunners in the election.
If no candidate wins more than 50 percent, a runoff vote will be held on June 16 and 17, with Egypt’s next president formally named four days later.
Meanwhile, at least one presidential hopeful got an idea Wednesday that he might have a hard time wining after being pelted with rocks and shoes when he went to vote at a Cairo polling station.
Former Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq, who served under Mubarak, is a polarizing figure in Egypt, to say the least, with supporters of the old guard behind him. Many Egyptians blame Shafiq for being partially responsible for the hundreds who lost their lives during the three weeks of demonstrations that led to Mubarak’s ouster.
Copyright 2012 ABC News Radio