EGYPT: Election issues.
Islamists and liberals accused election officials Thursday of filling out ballot forms for elderly or confused voters at some polling stations during the second round of parliamentary elections. If confirmed as a pattern, the reports could chip away at the credibility of what has so far been the freest and fairest vote in Egypt’s modern history.
Under Hosni Mubarak’s 30- year regime, elections were systemically rigged, and the corruption was a major impetus behind the popular uprising that ousted the authoritarian leader in February. But as the polls closed, it was still unclear how widespread the problems were.
The head of the election commission, Abdel-Moez Ibrahim, described the allegations of wrongdoing as “a strong wave of rumors which aimed at driving wedge between the judges and the people.” He said he investigated some incidents and found out that judges overseeing the voting were helping disabled, illiterate voters.
TUNISIA: A call for patience.
Tunisia’s newly elected president said he is prepared to resign if life in the country has not improved after six months.
In an interview on state television late Wednesday, Moncef Marzouki called for patience while the new government got the country back on track after a year of upheaval marked by strikes and demonstrations.
“After this period, you can hold us accountable and I am ready to resign” if the situation hasn’t changed, he said.
Tunisians ended half a century of dictatorship in January with a popular uprising that sent President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali fleeing to Saudi Arabia. Their uprising inspired pro-democracy movements across the Arab world but also dealt a blow to the economy. Denver Post wire services
