The World : Egypt Votes on Parliament

Egyptians voted on whether Parliament should be dissolved, and early returns indicated that up to 90% gave President Hosni Mubarak a mandate to abolish the chamber and call new elections, the authoritative newspaper Al Ahram said. Mubarak’s ruling National Democratic party and all five legal opposition parties favor dissolving the People’s Assembly, elected 32 months ago under a controversial 1983 law. The referendum also was the first step in a scenario virtually certain to culminate in Mubarak’s reelection to a second six-year term.