Egyptian Election Marred by Violence
Millions of Egyptians chose a new Parliament on Wednesday in an election tarnished by violence and charges of vote fraud. Opponents said the maneuvers were yet another government attempt to subdue its main rival, the Muslim Brotherhood.
The government has repeatedly promised that the election would be free and fair, but the Brotherhood and other opponents accused President Hosni Mubarak’s ruling party of stuffing ballot boxes, barring opposition supporters and blatantly buying votes.
Across Egypt, four people were killed, including two elderly women, and scores were injured in scuffles, clashes and shootouts between supporters of rival factions and voters protesting what they saw as rigged ballots, security sources said.
One Islamist party accused the wife of a government candidate of voting four times. Another party claimed that a government candidate brought 400 wrestlers and bodybuilders to one polling station to intimidate voters. The government promised to investigate charges of vote-rigging.
Returns are expected today.
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