As Egypt's initial voting results break through the cloudy horizon of Egypt's political future, we take a look at the indications of the people's choice so far. While there are voting patterns to be found by mapping the disparate populace by region and demographic, the story of how five became two is still confounding many from the electorate to the outsider.
A nation spoilt for choice with Salafis, Brothers, Arab nationalists, seculars, former militarians, old school, lefties, moderates, as well as the new breed of post Tahrir revolutionaries to the mix of options, has finally registered and asserted its popular willpower. The very self-determination it protested the absence of during the dark ages of dictatorship and submission to the political and military whims of the elites, has been re-appropriated.
It's been a rauous and turbulent, transitional time in Egypt these last 6 months and the fiercely contested presidential prize has not passed without a fuss, sometimes verging on a palava, but always returning to the light and optimism born of the revolution.
We take a closer look to analyse the country's voting trends, by geography and demographic (urbanite to bedouin to, to tourist-merchant) to scrutinize the 46 percent turnout the country's 50 million eligible voters. Should there be any rhyme or reason why Egypt's Choice should come down to two men - Ahmed Shafiq and Mohammed Mursi - neither of whom represents anything particularly new or evocative of revolution or change? One old regimer who served fleetingly as Prime Minister following Mubarak's steppng down, citing his predecessor as his very own Arab 'idol'; and the other, a staunch Islamist who brings more of the ascetic parliament make-up over to the presidential palace.
What happened? Maybe the Egytpians had too many choices of 'cereal' and balked, panicked and went by reflex. However, despite the collective gasps of the world audience and much of Egypt too, the Muslim Brotherhood is not a surprise choice for Egypt. It has long been known that democracy in the Arab world could signify Islamism. What was more surprising is that they officially ran at all (since it violated their own issued statements) and that a man so close to Mubarak should come up as Egypt's choice alternative to the old despised way. There was a widely held view that the Muslim Brotherhood didn't initially fancy running for fear of the daunting task of governing the populous and preponderous Egypt. That they already held the legislature, they didn't necessarily need the presidency. And it looked like they were simply on a mission to put the fear of God into concerned western parties, not least of all Israel who hardly needed another religiously buoyed populace emboldened by a leadership with Godly beliefs on Islamic heritage to counter Israel's own religious zeal for its holy sites.
The lay of the land
The results, and the voting trajectory, through the picture selection above, uncover which of the top five candidates - Mohammed Mursi, Ahmed Shafiq, Abdel Moneim Abdoul Fotouh, Hamdeen Sabahi and Amr Moussa - came out trumps and in which regions in this sprawling nation. And where the upsets, such as Amr Moussa's defeat, lay.
The results showed Islamist domination across the board, with Islamists coming by 57% of the vote.
The breakdwon in figures
Aboul-Fotouh: 18% 3,936,264 votes
Sabbahi: 22% 4,739,983 votes
Moussa: 11% 2,407,837 votes
Mursi: 25% 5,553,097 votes
Shafiq: 24% 5,210,978 votes
Any thoughts on who will take the much coveted but daunting post of President of Egypt? Mursi man or Shafiq-ite, have your say in the space below.
