Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Both Egypt candidates claim win

Egyptian riot police stand outside the parliament as protesters gather in Cairo on Tuesday.
Egyptian riot police stand outside the parliament as protesters gather in Cairo on Tuesday.
  • NEW: Ahmed Shafik's campaign claims he won
  • Mohamed Morsi has already claimed victory
  • The military council says it "did not take anything away" from the presidency
  • The U.S. ambassador to Egypt called the election "historic" for "democracy in Egypt"

Cairo (CNN) -- Both candidates in what the United States called Egypt's "historic" presidential runoff over the weekend are claiming victory, the latest twist in the country's chaotic political upheaval.

A spokesman for Ahmed Shafik -- the last prime minister to serve under deposed President Hosni Mubarak -- said Tuesday that Shafik had won, state-run Nile TV reported.

At a news conference, Mahmoud Abu Baraka said the campaign was certain it had the correct numbers.

Mohamed Morsi, the Muslim Brotherhood candidate, claimed victory Monday. vowing to build an inclusive government. "No one's rights will be left out of it, and no one will dominate over the other," he said.

Egypt has not announced an official result.

The dueling announcements come amid questions over just how much authority the president will even have in the new Egypt. The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, which has run Egypt since Mubarak's ouster, stripped the position of much of its power.

Under an interim constitutional declaration released Monday, the military council retains the power to make laws and budget decisions until a new constitution can be written and a new parliament elected.

The declaration says Supreme Council members "shall decide all matters related to military affairs, including the appointment of its leaders."

The president has the power to declare war, it says, but only "after the approval of the SCAF."

That move came days after an Egyptian court dissolved the parliament and the military council announced it had full legislative authority.

The Muslim Brotherhood, the country's largest Islamist group, was the dominant party in the parliament.

Groups opposing what they call a coup by Egypt's military rulers announced plans for a "million man march" Tuesday in Cairo's Tahrir Square.

It was not clear whether the call would attract a large crowd in the square, which was the central home to protests that toppled Mubarak's regime last year.

The April 6 revolutionary movement and the Muslim Brotherhood called for the march.

Mohamed el Omda, a former member of parliament with the Muslim Brotherhood, complained Tuesday that the "powerful TV channels" in Egypt are owned by businessmen collaborating with the military council. "They tried to destroy the image of the parliament in preparation for this step that was taken to dissolve the parliament," he said.

El Omda stood outside the parliament building, where police prevented former lawmakers from entering Thursday.

The military council rejects complaints of a "coup d'etat," insisting it remains temporarily in control until a new constitution is formed. The council said last week it will appoint a council to create the constitution.

As for the declaration about the presidency, SCAF member Gen. Mohamed el Assar insisted the position retains "great authority, very vast authority."

"And the military council did not take anything away from him," el Assar said.

But the Muslim Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party, in a statement, said the "SCAF does not have the right, power or authority to issue any constitutional article -- and indeed it has only ten days before it hands over ruling power to the elected president.

"Ultimately, this announcement amounts to a total coup d'état against constitutional, popular and revolutionary legitimacy."

Each side in the election accused the other of voting irregularities and called for an investigation.

U.S. Ambassador to Egypt Anne W. Patterson visited polling sites. She said the United States was pleased to "participate in the process," calling it a "historic event" for "democracy in Egypt," the U.S. Embassy in Cairo tweeted.

In an interview on CNNI's "Amanpour," Morsi spokesman Jihad Haddad said parliament plans to meet this week -- potentially forcing a confrontation with military rulers and Egypt's high court.

From Washington, Pentagon press secretary George Little said Monday that U.S. officials expect the SCAF to "transfer full power to a democratically elected civilian government," as it had promised.

"We have and will continue to urge the SCAF to relinquish power to civilian elected authorities and to respect the universal rights of the Egyptian people and the rule of law," he said.

CNN's Ivan Watson and Josh Levs contributed to this report.

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