CAIRO — Egypt’s military rulers on Sunday officially recognized Mohammed Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood as the winner of Egypt’s first competitive presidential election, handing the Islamists a symbolic triumph and a potent weapon in their struggle for power against the country’s senior generals.
Morsi, 60, an American-trained engineer and former lawmaker, stands ready to become the first nonmilitary figure to lead Egypt in generations. But 16 months after the military took over at the ouster of President Hosni Mubarak, Morsi’s victory is an ambiguous milestone in Egypt’s promised transition to democracy.
After a week of doubt, delays and fears of a coup, the generals have shown a measure of respect for at least some core elements of electoral democracy. They have accepted a political opponent over their ally, former Gen. Ahmed Shafiq, after a vote that international monitors said was credible.
Morsi’s recognition as president does little to resolve the larger standoff between the generals and the Brotherhood over the institutions of government and the future constitution.
With two weeks to go until their promised exit from power by Saturday, the generals instead shut down the democratically elected and Islamist-led Parliament; took over its powers to make laws and set budgets; decreed an interim constitution stripping the new president of most of his power; and reimposed martial law by authorizing soldiers to arrest civilians. And the generals gave themselves an effective veto over provisions of a planned permanent constitution as well.
As recently as Sunday morning, the capital was tense with fears that the panel of Mubarak-appointed judges overseeing the vote would declare Shafiq president. Banks, schools and government offices closed early for fear of violence in the streets.
Tens of thousands of Brotherhood supporters and allies against military rule had gathered in Cairo’s Tahrir Square for the sixth day of a sit-in demanding the military roll back its power grab. The throngs hushed as transistor radios in the square began broadcasting the election commissioner’s rambling speech to introduce the official results.
Then came the moment. The square erupted as the numbers came through: Morsi had won 51.7 percent of the runoff vote.
“Morsi! Morsi!” the crowd chanted. “Down, down with military rule!”
Small fireworks went off over the crowd, and beaming Brotherhood supporters streamed in, swelling the crowd to perhaps 100,000 by nightfall. In a carnival atmosphere, vendors hawked cotton candy and threw pieces of fruit into the laughing crowd.
After 84 years as an often-outlawed secret society struggling in the prisons and shadows of monarchs and dictators, the Brotherhood is now closer than ever to its stated goal of building an Islamist democracy in Egypt.
“In my dreams I wanted this to happen, but it is unbelievable,” said Hudaida Hassan, a 20-year-old from Menoufiya.
Even in a victorious moment, however, the Brotherhood’s leadership acknowledged that the struggle was far from over. Leaders pledged to continue the sit-in, fighting on in the courts and in the streets to restore the Parliament.
In his first statement as president-elect, Morsi vowed to take his oath of office before the seated Parliament and not before the Supreme Constitutional Court as the generals have decreed.
He also paid tribute to nearly 900 protesters killed in last year’s uprising.
“I wouldn’t have been here between your hands as the first elected president without … the blood, the tears and sacrifices of the martyrs,” he said.
Fulfilling a campaign pledge to represent all Egyptians, Morsi resigned from the Brotherhood and its political arm, the Freedom and Justice Party. State news media reported Sunday morning that the prime minister and Cabinet would resign immediately, making way for Morsi to appoint his own team.
Shafiq was silent Sunday. But a handful of his supporters held their own angry protests to denounce the decision of the election commission.
“Israel expects to continue cooperation with the Egyptian government on the basis of the peace agreement between the two countries, which is of interest to the two peoples and contributes to regional stability.”
Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli prime minister
“It is time we work all as Egyptians as part of a national consensus to build Egypt that is based on freedom and social justice.”
Mohammed ElBaradei, Egyptian pro-democracy leader
“(President Barack Obama) emphasized his interest in working together with President-elect Morsi, on the basis of mutual respect, to advance the many shared interests between Egypt and the United States.”
White House statement, on Obama’s call to Morsi
