Egypt Resumes Voting on Constitution Seen Key to Al-Sisi’s Future

Local Editor

Egyptians resumed voting Wednesday in a constitutional referendum, with turnout expected to hold the key to a likely presidential bid by army chief Abdel Fattah al-Sisi after clashes killed nine the previous day.

In the capital Cairo, early turnout was lackluster on the second day of the vote, with a trickle of Egyptians heading to polling stations in the morning.

Polling had gone ahead smoothly amid tight security at most stations across Egypt on Tuesday, but sporadic clashes between supporters of ousted president Mohamed Mursi and their opponents and police left at least nine dead.

The constitution, which replaces the one passed under Mursi, is expected to be approved despite a boycott by his supporters in the Muslim Brotherhood.
The charter adopted under Mursi was approved with 64 percent of the vote, but just 33 percent of the country's 53 million voters turned out.

Around 250 people were also arrested on Tuesday, among them members of the Brotherhood, for disrupting polling in areas.
More than 1,000 people have been killed in clashes since Mursi's ouster, and thousands have been arrested, including the top leadership of the Brotherhood.
Mursi's Brotherhood was designated a terrorist group by the military-installed authorities as part of their crackdown on the movement that dominated all polls since the ouster of long-time ruler Hosni Mubarak in early 2011.

Egyptian media came out in praise of Tuesday's first day of polling.
"Yes, even if criminals hate it," said a front page headline in al-Wafd, a private daily, referring to supporters of Mursi. "Egyptians choose their future as millions write history," said state-owned daily al-Gomhuria.

The Egyptian government hopes a large turnout in favor of the new constitution will bolster its disputed authority, while army chief General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi will monitor it for an "indicator" of his popularity, an official close to the general said.
Interim president Adly Mansour's government has pledged the referendum will be followed by parliamentary and presidential elections.
It is unclear how many Egyptians will have voted by the end of Wednesday, but the constitution appears certain to pass.

Backers of the charter are hoping it will receive the support of at least 70 percent of votes cast.
Authorities worry a low turnout would empower their Islamist opponents and cast further doubts on their legitimacy, analysts say. State media gave no indication of what voter turnout had been on the first day of the polls.
Security forces had deployed across the country amid fears recent attacks by militants would deter voters.

Al-Sisi is widely expected to run for president, and has said he would stand if there was "popular demand", state media reported this week.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team