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Egyptians Vote on Day 2 of Presidential Run-Off


An Egyptian soldier directs a voter inside a polling station June 16, 2012 in Cairo, Egypt.
An Egyptian soldier directs a voter inside a polling station June 16, 2012 in Cairo, Egypt.
Egyptian voters go to the polls Sunday in the second day of a presidential run-off to choose the country's next president after massive protests led to former leader Hosni Mubarak's resignation last year.

The voters have a choice between a Mubarak-era candidate, former prime minister Ahmed Shafiq and an Islamist, the Muslim Brotherhood candidate Mohammed Morsi.

Voter turnout was mixed in Saturday's first day of polling and the mood appeared less joyful than it was during last month's first-round.


Disillusioned

VOA's Middle East correspondent Elizabeth Arrott says voters may be disillusioned by the stark differences between the two contenders.

"There are the two candidates, Mohamed Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood and Ahmed Shafiq, the last prime minister of the old regime -- kind of a polarizing choice which I think is a lot less joyful than what people had the first time around when you had 13 candidates and it all seemed so wide open," Arrott said.

Some voters also expressed disappointment with the lack of progress in the country, 16 months after the uprising. Egypt still does not have a constitution, which would define presidential powers and on Thursday, the Supreme Constitutional Court ruled to dissolve the country's current Islamist-led parliament.


Results

The announcement of the winner in the presidential election is set for Thursday, but unofficial results are expected earlier in the week.

The official MENA news agency said parliament received notice of the decree on Saturday and that lawmakers will be barred from entering parliament, except with permission.

Some leading Islamists contend the court ruling justified what amounts to a de facto coup by the ruling military council.


* Follow our special election team coverage live from Egypt. Click HERE to see the latest stream.
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