Egyptians Confront Presidential Contender, Heavy Voter Turnout Skip to main content

Egyptians Confront Presidential Contender, Heavy Voter Turnout

An angry crowd has confronted Egyptian opposition leader Mohamed ElBaradei as he cast his ballot for a referendum on constitutional amendments.

Protesters shouted "We do not want you" on Saturday as the Nobel laureate arrived at a Cairo polling station. Some threw stones at his vehicle as he left. The former U.N. nuclear watchdog chief has said he wants to run for president.

Overall, voting has been mostly peaceful across Egypt, where a large turnout is reported in the first test of the country's move toward democracy. Witnesses say there were long lines at many polling stations.

The referendum on constitutional amendments is aimed at allowing free and fair elections, following the February resignation of former President Hosni Mubarak.

The amendments would open elections to all opposition candidates and limit presidents to two four-year terms. It would allow parliamentary and presidential elections to be held by the end of the year.

Most secular groups and leading reform activists, including ElBaradei and Arab League chief Amr Moussa oppose the passage of the amendments. Moussa also intends to run for president.

Opponents of the amendments say quick elections will give an unfair advantage to the only two established political parties in Egypt - Mubarak's National Democratic Party and the Islamist party, the Muslim Brotherhood. Opponents are urging Egyptians to vote "no" at the polls.

Proponents of the change say rejecting the amendments will only prolong the rule of the military council that took control of Egypt after Mubarak stepped down.

http://www.voanews.com/english/news/Egyptians-Vote-on-Constitutional-Amendments-118290989.html
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