Cairo
The opposition Muslim Brotherhood party had little chance in Egypt’s parliamentary elections this week. Thanks to recent constitutional amendments designed to make it all but impossible for the Islamists to run, the Muslim Brotherhood contested only 19 of the 88 upper-house seats up for grabs. Many of President Hosni Mubarak’s National Democratic Party candidates ran unopposed for the remaining seats. Even so, riot police blocked off polling stations in neighborhoods where support for the Muslim Brotherhood is strong. Veiled women trying to vote in Baltim began to demonstrate, chanting, “No freedom! They won’t allow us in.” In areas loyal to Mubarak, observers reported blatant ballot-box stuffing. Results will be out next week.
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