Egypt Opposition Party Pulls Out Of Elections

Egypt Opposition Party Pulls Out Of Elections

Egypt's oldest opposition party has announced that it is pulling out of the elections because of widespread fraud.

Liberal Wafd Party's spokesman, Moataz Salah Eddin said that the party had decided to withdraw ahead of Sunday's election run-off because of "fraud and thuggery" during the first round.

He told newsmen the party had received many complaints from members about fraud during elections.

An earlier report says Egypt's fundamentalist Muslim Brotherhood, which now controls a fifth of parliament, did not win a single seat in the first round of legislative elections.

in a dramatic setback for the country's largest opposition movement.

Released results

Official results of the November 28 vote announced late Tuesday, gave President Hosni Mubarak's ruling National Democratic Party 209 of 508 seats.

Opposition parties other than the Brotherhood won five and independent candidates took seven in the vote, which decided 43 percent of seats.

AP/Christy/Williams