Egypt constitution approved by 98.1 percent

[alp227]

Source: Al Jazeera

More than 20 million Egyptians voted in this week’s referendum on a new constitution, and more than 98 percent of them voted “yes”, the High Elections Commission announced on Saturday.

The outcome was never really in doubt: No major political faction was pushing a “no” vote, and many Egyptians saw approving the constitution as a key first step towards restoring stability after the army overthrew President Mohamed Morsi in July.

Turnout was 38.6 percent of registered voters, less than the 50 percent predicted by some officials earlier this week.

Nabil Salib, the chairman of the commission, called the vote an "unrivalled success" and "an unprecedented turnout".

Read more: http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2014/01/egypt-constitution-approved-981-percent-201411816326470532.html

[mazzarro]

1. Wow! 38.6 percent of registered voters is termed "unrivalled success"?

That 38.6 percent is probably way less than a third of the total population and PTB is calling that an "unprecedented turnout" for their plan to rule autocratically.

[Yo_Mama]

7. The turnout for the previous (Morsi) constitution was less at 33%

It's Egypt. They have low turnouts.

The turnout for the vote after the 2011 uprising was less than 42%, and the Muslim Brotherhood was voting then.

[vdogg]

2. 98.1% ?

Those are Saddam Hussein numbers. Nope, not buying it.

[cosmicone]

3. Good

this fucks the Islamic Brotherhood and brings about a secular government.

[Alamuti Lotus]

4. Coincidentally enough, Mubarak and Sadat used to get the same numbers

HR-Puff-n-Sisi must be using the same pollsters for this theatrical event!

[Comrade Grumpy]

6. I was going to say Mubarek would be proud.

[bitchkitty]

5. Hmmm...

From the article:

Several international organisations declined to monitor the vote, criticising what they called the repressive atmosphere in which it was held. There was little space to campaign against the constitution; several people who tried to post flyers urging a “no” vote were arrested.

The article also says that while there were no "major irregularities" reported, there were only 5000 observers for 30,000 polling stations.

Anybody know what kind of voting system they use? I would think paper ballots? Who counts them and is that part observed? I confess total ignorance on this subject...

[malthaussen]

8. What's funny about that percentage is...

... if we held a referendum in the US over our Constitution, we wouldn't come close to that figure. Before "adjustments," anyway.

-- Mal

[tabasco]

9. The other 1.9 percent will be dealt with

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