Egypt holds key vote on country’s new charter

BOOST FOR SISI Referendum deals blow to Brotherhood’s campaign for reinstatement of Mohammed Morsi and paves the way for presidential run by the army chief

CAIRO: Egyptians formed long lines on Tuesday outside polling stations across much of the country to vote on a new constitution that represents a key milestone in a military-backed roadmap put in place after the ouster of Egypt’s Islamist president in a coup last July.

The balloting deals a heavy blow to the Muslim Brotherhood’s campaign for the reinstatement of ousted President Mohammed Morsi and paves the way for a likely presidential run by the nation’s top general, AbdelFattah el-Sisi.

A massive security operation was underway to protect polling stations and voters against possible attacks by militants loyal to Morsi, with 160,000 soldiers and more than 200,000 policemen deployed across the nation of some 90 million people.

Cars were prevented from parking or driving by polling stations and women were searched by female police officers. Military helicopters hovered over Cairo and other major cities.

In the days running up to the vote, Egypt looked more like a country going to war rather than one preparing for a supposed transition to democratic rule. The government and the overwhelmingly pro-military media have portrayed the balloting as the key to the nation’s security and stability over which there can be no dissent.

Hundreds of thousands of fliers, posters, banners and billboards urged Egyptians to vote “yes.” Posters and campaigns urging a “no” vote have led to arrests.

The referendum is the sixth nationwide vote since the authoritarian Mubarak was ousted in a popular uprising in 2011, with the five others possibly the freest ever seen in Egypt.