Muslim Brotherhood claims victory in Egypt's presidential race

PanARMENIAN.Net - Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood claimed victory in historic presidential polls on Monday, June 18, hours after the ruling military council issued a constitutional document claiming sweeping power, including legislative control, AFP reports.

"Doctor Mohammed Mursi is the first Egyptian president of the republic elected by the people," read a tweet from the official Twitter account of the Freedom and Justice Party, the Brotherhood's political arm.

The party made the announcement after votes from nearly all Egypt's 13,000 polling stations had been counted. If confirmed, it will be the culmination of a long political struggle for the once-outlawed Muslim Brotherhood.

There was no immediate comment from the campaign of Mursi's opponent, Ahmed Shafiq, and official results are not expected until June 21.

The process was overshadowed by the amended constitutional declaration issued by the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces late Sunday, which replaces an original document issued in March 2011 after Egypt's uprising.

The document grants SCAF legislative powers, after a top court on Thursday ordered the elected parliament dissolved, and gives it veto power over the text of a new permanent constitution.

It keeps SCAF head Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi on as minister of defence for now, and says a new parliamentary vote will come only after a permanent constitution is drafted.

The Muslim Brotherhood immediately denounced the declaration, calling it "null and unconstitutional."

With votes from nearly 11,000 of Egypt's over 13,000 polling stations counted, the Muslim Brotherhood said tallies showed Mursi with 52.49 percent of the vote to Shafiq's 47.5 percent.