Widespread violence mars Egypt elections (AP) Updated: 2005-11-21 19:52
Widespread violence marred the second round of Egypt's
parliamentary vote Sunday as opposition supporters and police clashed with
knives, metal chains and Molotov cocktails, officials said. At least one person
was killed and scores were wounded.
Egyptian anti-riot soldiers block a road
leading to a polling station, in Damanhur, 140 kilometers (85 miles) north
of Cairo, Egypt, during the second round of the Egyptian parliamentary
elections Sunday, Nov. 20, 2005. Widespread violence marred the second
round of Egypt's parliamentary vote Sunday, with a campaign worker killed
in the Mediterranean port city of Alexandria.
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The violence was in sharp contrast to the Nov. 9 first round of voting, which
passed in relative peace and saw the banned opposition Muslim Brotherhood party
double its representation in parliament.
There are 1,706 candidates competing in 72 constituencies in this round of
elections.
Late Sunday, the Brotherhood said its count showed most of its 60 candidates
had either won seats or gained sufficient votes to participate in run-off
balloting Saturday. Interior Ministry officials said a partial tally showed at
least six Brotherhood candidates had won outright. The top two vote getters in
constituencies where no candidate wins an outright majority move to the run-off.
No figures were available for candidates of the ruling National Democratic
Party or non-Islamic opposition contestants.
Police and Brotherhood supporters exchanged accusations
over who started the melees, which also involved supporters of President Hosni
Mubarak's ruling National Democratic Party.
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