(Image Source: euronews)

BY ADNAN S. KHAN

ANCHOR ANTHONY MARTINEZ

Results from the first round of elections in Egypt are in. And as expected, the Muslim Brotherhood’s Freedom and Justice Party took the lead, with the ultra-conservative Nour Party falling right behind it. NPR reports.

“Trends indicate that Islamist parties did well. Better than expected. The Muslim Brotherhood was banned for decades but it used that time to develop deep roots in that community … What has surprised many though is that the more hardline Islamist party also did well. The party is called Nour or light and it was established by arch-conservative Muslims known as Salafi.”


And that has left people worrying. According to Euronews, the public is nervous because the new parliament is tasked with drafting a constitution for Egypt, and many fear a constitution drafted by an Islamist majority may not be Democratic.


NBC says it’s not the Muslim Brotherhood that is on people’s minds, but the Nour party’s Salafis form of Islam.


“As in Saudi Arabia, Salafis want to bar women and Christians from executive posts. They would also ban alcohol, mixed beach bathing and ‘un-Islamic’ art and literature. Such curbs would wreck Egypt's vital tourism industry, which employs about one in eight of the workforce.”


Importantly, The Los Angeles Times notes that the Muslim Brotherhood has brushed off any suggestions of forming a bond with the Salafis.

“The Brotherhood has attempted to soothe secularists by emphasizing that civil liberties and religious tolerance will be protected in the new Egypt. Some liberal activists say that the outcome of the voting was less a mandate for instilling religion in government than it was a testament to the decades-long discipline and organizational skills of the once-outlawed Brotherhood.”


But Euronews says the elections were what Egyptians had fought for.


“Everyone has their own political orientations. There are those who want Islam and those who want the coptic Christians. This is long-awaited true freedom and democracy.”


And Al Jazeera says the proof of success lies in the massive turnout.


REPORTER: “At a news conference the head of the high elections commission announced turnouts for this first round of elections conducted in nine of Egypts governorates, was unprecedented -- more than 60 percent.
ABDEL-MOOAEZ: “So, the percentage of eligible voters who took part is 62 percent. This is the highest since the time of the pharaohs in Egypt.”



The Telegraph reports there are still two more rounds of elections and the process will end in Janurary.