Updated June 04, 2014 04:59:53
Egypt's ex-army chief Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has won 96.9 per cent of votes in the country's presidential elections, the electoral commission announced, almost a year after he overthrew elected Islamist leader Mohamed Morsi.
Turnout in last week's election, hastily extended to three days amid fears of low turnout, was 47.45 per cent, according to commission chief Anwar Rashad al-Asi.
Mr Sisi's rival Hamdeen Sabbahi won just three per cent of the vote, excluding spoiled ballots.
The former army chief's landslide victory had been certain, with many lauding the retired field marshal as a hero for ending Mr Morsi's divisive rule in July last year.
Yet the low turnout signalled a wide segment of the population was apathetic or boycotted the election.
Mr Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood, crushed by a massive crackdown following his overthrow and detention, had boycotted the polls.
Saudi king hails 'historic' win
Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah has hailed as a 'historic day' the election of Mr Sisi as president, immediately calling for a donors conference to help Egypt through its economic troubles after the results were announced.
The king, whose wealthy country is a strong ally of Egypt, said Mr Sisi's sweeping win of the vote represents a 'historic day and a new stage for Egypt,' in a telegram published by SPA state news agency.
'To the brothers and friends of Egypt ... I invite all to a donors conference ... to help it overcome its economic crisis,' he said.
King Abdullah said any country that did not contribute to Egypt's future despite having the ability to do so would 'have no future place among us'.
He also said that Saudi Arabia, which regards Egypt as a frontline ally in its region-wide struggle against both Iran and the Muslim Brotherhood, would not tolerate any interference in Egypt's internal affairs.
Supporters celebrate in Tahrir Square
In Cairo's Tahrir Square, where protesters had battled police three years ago in an uprising to overthrow former president Hosni Mubarak, several thousand Sisi supporters celebrated and set off fireworks.
'We are celebrating the hope of restoring stability and security,' Naela Mahmoud, a local school principal, said.
But Ms Mahmoud's daughter, Hala Abu Fadl, 29, recalled the past violence in the iconic square, once synonymous with rebellion against Mr Mubarak and the army, which took over between his overthrow and Mr Morsi's election in June 2012.
'Celebrating here is difficult,' she said, pointing to a mural depicting a slain protester, at the entrance of a street where activists clashed with police and soldiers in 2011.
'I voted for Sisi for stability, but I fear a crackdown on freedoms,' she said.
The president-elect now faces a wide array of challenges in a country where street demonstrations have helped to topple two leaders in three years.
Mr Sisi, appointed by Mohamed Morsi as defence minister before he overthrew him, has suggested he would not tolerate protests as he moved to restore the battered economy.
More than three years after Mr Mubarak was deposed, the economy has suffered with unrest driving away much needed tourist revenues and foreign investment.
After Mr Morsi was overthrown, the interim government unleashed an extensive crackdown in which at least 1,400 people, mostly Islamists, were killed in street clashes.
Militant attacks have killed almost 500 policemen and soldiers, mostly in the restive Sinai Peninsula bordering Israel and the Gaza Strip.
AFP/ReutersTopics:elections, government-and-politics, world-politics, foreign-affairs, unrest-conflict-and-war, egypt, saudi-arabia, asia, pacific
First posted June 04, 2014 04:35:56
Entities 0 Name: Egypt Count: 9 1 Name: Sisi Count: 6 2 Name: Morsi Count: 4 3 Name: Mubarak Count: 2 4 Name: Saudi Arabia Count: 2 5 Name: Muslim Brotherhood Count: 2 6 Name: Abdullah Count: 2 7 Name: Mohamed Morsi Count: 2 8 Name: Gaza Strip Count: 1 9 Name: Hamdeen Sabbahi Count: 1 10 Name: Hala Abu Fadl Count: 1 11 Name: Abdel Fattah al-Sisi Count: 1 12 Name: SPA Count: 1 13 Name: Naela Mahmoud Count: 1 14 Name: Hosni Mubarak Count: 1 15 Name: Iran Count: 1 16 Name: Sinai Peninsula Count: 1 17 Name: Tahrir Square Count: 1 18 Name: Cairo Count: 1 19 Name: Israel Count: 1 20 Name: Mahmoud Count: 1 21 Name: Anwar Rashad al-Asi Count: 1 Related 0 Url: http://ift.tt/1u956Is Title: The real tragedy of Egyptian satirist Bassem Youssef's censorship is he played a role in it Description: Egyptian political satirist Bassem Youssef, internationally celebrated as "Egypt's Jon Stewart" for his willingness to poke fun at his country's top leaders through years of turmoil, held a press conference today announcing that his show had finally been forced to shut down under government pressure.
