Egypt’s Islamists ‘lead’ polls

CAIRO

Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood was leading in initial, partial results from Egypt’s parliamentary elections, party sources said yesterday. At the same time, Egypt’s election commission chief said that the announcement of the results for the first stage of the polls has been delayed to today.
Results for the first stage of voting that took place in nine provinces -- one third of constituencies -- were initially expected yesterday.
The Muslim Brotherhood said yesterday it was leading in the initial count of results and one source in the party said it had secured 40 percent of votes cast for party lists. A member of the rival liberal Egyptian Bloc also said that in Cairo, one area that voted Nov. 28 and Nov. 29, the list led by the Brotherhood’s Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) had 40 to 50 percent of votes. His Bloc had 20 to 30 percent, he said. The results would give Egypt’s oldest Islamist group a powerful bloc in the assembly. Meanwhile, clashes between protesters and street vendors in Tahrir Square injured some 79 people Nov. 29.
Compiled from Reuters and AFP stories by the Daily News staff.