CAIRO (AP) — Egyptians are choosing a new president in a two-day vote that comes nearly a year after the military’s ouster of the nation’s first freely elected president, the Islamist Mohammed Morsi.
The man who removed Morsi, retired military chief Field Marshal Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi (AHB’-del fat-AH’ el-SEE’-see). is expected to win easily. The only other candidate is leftist politician Hamdeen Sabahi, who finished third in the 2012 presidential election.
But el-Sissi is looking for more than a strong turnout, to show the world that his removal of Morsi was the will of the people.
The election is a powerful contrast to 2012 presidential elections, which followed the toppling of longtime autocrat Hosni Mubarak. In that race, there were 13 candidates and a lively debate over how to achieve the ideals of the “revolution,” reflecting the short-lived euphoria that followed Mubarak’s ouster.
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189-a-10-(Azima Helmy (ah’-ZEE-mah HEHL’-mee), Egyptian voter, in AP interview)-“so many terrorists”-Cairo voter Azima Helmy says the vote today feels like a grand celebration, with high hopes that the new leadership will bring stability and unity. (26 May 2014)
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190-a-16-(Salma al-Badry (ehl BAHD’-ree), Egyptian voter, in AP interview)-“turns out well”-Cairo voter Salma al-Badry says that women in particular are enthusiastic about the vote, which many hope will bring peace to Egypt. (26 May 2014)
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142-a-12-(Mario David, head of European Union observer mission, in AP interview)-“sign of democracy”-Mario David, the head of the EU’s observer mission in Egypt, says the voting is going very well in Cairo. (26 May 2014)
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APPHOTO CAI142: An Egyptian soldier stands guard at a polling center of a presidential election that comes nearly a year after the military’s ouster of the nation’s first freely elected president, the Islamist Mohammed Morsi, in his homeland al-Adwa village near Zagazig, 63 miles (100 kilometers) northeast of Cairo, Egypt, Monday, May 26, 2014. Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi’s supporters danced to pop tunes praising the military and sported T-shirts bearing his image as they cast ballots Monday in a presidential election that is seen certain to vault the retired field marshal to office. (AP Photo/Ahmed Abd El Latif) (26 May 2014)
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APPHOTO CAI145: Voters wait to cast their ballots in the presidential election in Cairo, Egypt, Monday, May 26, 2014. Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi’s supporters danced to pop tunes praising the military and sported T-shirts bearing his image as they cast ballots Monday in a presidential election that is seen certain to vault the retired field marshal to office.(AP Photo/Lobna Tarek, El Shorouk Newspaper) EGYPT OUT (26 May 2014)
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APPHOTO CAI144: Egyptian women ink their fingers after voting in the presidential election in Cairo, Egypt, Monday, May 26, 2014. Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi’s supporters danced to pop tunes praising the military and sported T-shirts bearing his image as they cast ballots Monday in a presidential election that is seen certain to vault the retired field marshal to office.(AP Photo/Lobna Tarek, El Shorouk Newspaper) EGYPT OUT (26 May 2014)
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APPHOTO CAI109: Presidential candidate Hamdeen Sabahi shakes hands with a civilian near a polling site on the first day of the presidential elections in Cairo, Egypt, Monday, May 26, 2014. Retired military chief Field Marshal Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi is practically assured of a victory in the vote, which is being held over two days, Monday, 26, and Tuesday, 27. The only other candidate in the race is leftist politician Sabahi, who finished third in the 2012 presidential election. (AP Photo/Ahmed Abdel Fattah, El Shorouk Newspaper) EGYPT OUT (26 May 2014)
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APPHOTO CAI116: Coptic Pope Tawadros II enters a polling station to cast his ballot on the first day of the presidential elections in Cairo, Egypt, Monday, May 26, 2014. Egyptians were choosing a new president on Monday in an election likely to be won by retired military chief Field Marshal Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi who nearly a year ago ousted the nation’s first freely elected president, the Islamist Mohammed Morsi. El-Sissi is practically assured of a victory in the vote, which is being held over two days, Monday and Tuesday. The only other candidate in the race is leftist politician Hamdeen Sabahi, who finished third in the 2012 presidential election. (AP Photo/Ahmed Ramadan) (25 May 2014)
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APPHOTO AMR105: An Egyptian soldier stands alert outside a polling station during the first day of presidential elections in Cairo, Egypt, Monday, May 26, 2014. The man who removed Morsi, retired military chief Field Marshal Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, is practically assured of a victory in the vote. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil) (26 May 2014)
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