Egypt waits on referendum results
2012-12-24 11:31
Cairo - Egypt on Monday was awaiting official results of a
referendum on a new constitution reportedly backed by two-thirds of voters but
which the opposition alleged was riddled with fraud.
"No official date has been fixed" for the final
polling figures, a member of the electoral commission, Mohamed el-Tanobly, told
AFP. State media had reported the count could be given on Monday.
The Muslim Brotherhood backing President Mohammed Morsi and
media say an unofficial tally shows 64% of ballots backed the new charter.
But the National Salvation Front opposition coalition claims
numerous instances of polling "fraud and violations" and is demanding
the electoral commission investigate before issuing its official figures.
"The referendum is not the end of the road. It is only
one battle," the Front also said in a statement. "We will continue
the fight for the Egyptian people."
The challenge suggested no quick end to Egypt's political
crisis, which erupted a month ago when Morsi allocated himself near-absolute
powers to push through the charter written up by an Islamist-dominated panel.
Fierce protests, including violent clashes on 5 December
that killed eight people and wounded hundreds, led to Morsi giving up those
powers early this month.
Egypt remains a deeply polarised nation.
Morsi and his Muslim Brotherhood, testing newfound power
after decades of being sidelined by ousted leader Hosni Mubarak, are
spearheading changes to infuse the country with a more Islamist character
favoured by the vast poorer part of the population. They say the new
constitution will usher in stability.
