CAIRO (Updated) - President Hosni Mubarak said Sunday that the country's recent parliamentary election was 'consistent with the law' despite minor violations in some districts. "Negative behaviour by some candidates and their supporters do not deny the fact that elections were consistent with the law in most constituencies, away from violence and violations," Mubarak told the ruling party's parliamentary committee. Monitors and opposition groups said the election was marred by fraud that favoured the ruling National Democratic Party (NDP), which swept the elections for the Lower House of the Parliament with over 80 per cent of the vote. Opposition groups clinched very few seats in the 518-member People's Assembly. "I hoped the other parties would get better results, and I wish they had not wasted their efforts in the controversy over boycotting the elections," Mubarak said in his address Sunday. Mubarak said that promoting investment and economic growth would top the ruling party's agenda in the period ahead. "The Government should continue to pay attention to these issues because they are the gateway to the future," he added. Egyptian dissident Mohamed ElBaradei appealed to voters and the opposition in September to boycott the polls. Few small parties joined the call. After the November 28 first round, the largest-but-banned opposition group, the Muslim Brotherhood, and the liberal Al-Wafd Party, the oldest in the country, announced they would withdraw from the second round citing vote-rigging in favour of the NDP. However, their candidates were still registered for the run-off, and Al-Wafd won six seats. Last week, ElBaradei, the former head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, called the elections a 'farce' and urged people to boycott the 2011 presidential vote, voicing concerns over vote- rigging next year. The elections this year were seen as an indicator ahead of next year's presidential poll. Mubarak, 82, who has been in power for nearly 30 years, has yet to name a vice-president or successor, or to confirm whether he will seek another six-year term in 2011. Mubarak said Sunday that the ruling party had prepared for the recent elections with 'serious organisational work, which has led to leaders and cadres capable of shouldering responsibility', according to the official Middle East News Agency. The new legislature is due to hold its maiden session Monday. Input from Reuters
