CAIRO - It was very exciting for the Egyptians to vote freely for the first time in the first presidential elections after the revolution. The final results were announced Monday and the runoff on June 16 and 17 will be between the Brotherhood's candidate, Mohamed Morsi, and the former prime minister under the old regime, Ahmed Shafiq. Some people are shocked at this, as they feel that their dreams and their revolution have been thwarted. "I never imagined that the runoff would be between one of the remnants and the Brotherhood candidate!" says a 26-year-old tour guide called Yahya Mohamed, who voted for Hamdeen Sabbahi, a Nasseriest candidate that advocates social justice. "In the runoff I'll vote for Shafiq. I don't want the Brotherhood to get in after seeing how they work in Parliament.” Most Egyptian households are talking these days about which of the two candidates, to choose. But there is a third choice – not voting at all. "I voted for Morsi, and I'm delighted that he's made it to the runoff," Amr Mahmoud, an engineer told the Egyptian Mail. "I feel peace with him as a Muslim and an Egyptian. "I hope he becomes president, as he has a plan to develop Egypt in a few years, which is exactly what the country needs now. "The Brotherhood are very well organised. They have an ideology and good ideas for developing Egypt, under the project they call ‘The Renaissance'," adds Mahmoud (22). Morsi said on a TV programme that he will work hard in his four-year term as president, if elected, pledging not to turn the country into an religious state. “But if the people think his work is no good and if he fails to develop the country, they have the right to object and he will leave. Let's just wait and see.” "I was shocked when I discovered that the runoff would be between these two candidates," says Omnia Safi, a 19-year-old college student. "I had pinned my hopes on Sabbahi.” "I'm confused and I don't know what to do; I don't want either of them, but I guess I'll have to vote for Morsi. It's not acceptable to elect someone from the old regime; if not, why did we have a revolution in the first place?" asks Omnia, who voted for Sabbahi in the first round. Sabbahi had appealed to the HPEC, as he said that the other candidates had infringed the election rules. The HPEC received seven appeals. It rejected four of them and was unable to accept the other three, because they arrived after the deadline for the appeals. Sabbahi promised his supporters that, if he can't be President this time round, he'll get elected in four years' time. "I was stunned when I heard that the runoff would be between Morsi and Shafiq," says Hanan Hussein, a 30-year-old teacher. "Imagine having a revolution then voting for someone from the old regime! I hoped that, when the counting of the votes finished, Sabbahi would be in the runoff. But I was wong,” Hanan voted for Aboul Fotouh, although he ranked fourth in the election results. In her opinion, Aboul Fotouh and Sabbahi are better than Morsi and Shafiq. "I have been watching both of them on the TV, but neither of them is convincing," she says sadly. "I'll not vote in the second round if it's a choice between the Brotherhood and a remnant.” For the past few days, most Egyptians have been huddled around their TVs and radios, listening to what the two candidates have to say. Voters are confused and don't know which candidate most deserves to be President, someone who will lead Egypt firmly forwards into the future. For many of them, the choice is very hard. Meanwhile, Karim Ahmed (32), an accountant, says that we need someone with political experience. “That man is Shafiq. He has an ideology and he will restore security in Egypt,” Ahmed adds. “Just because he was an an aviation minister for ten years in the Mubarak regime doesn't mean he is one of the remnants. “He was a very competent minister. For sure, I'll vote again for him in the runoff. I don't want anyone related to the religious current,” he stresses. Shafiq, who is busy trying to muster more support, says that he won't allow the old regime to stage a comeback, adding that he welcomes any ideas from anyone that can benefit Egypt. "I reject the two candidates," says a young man called Ali Abdel-Aziz. "I'll go to vote on June 16 and 17, but I intended to put a cross against both candidates, then write Sabbahi's name on the paper and put a tick next to it.” By so doing, he wants both candidates to realise that they don't represent the majority. “I hope other people will follow my example. At least it's better than not voting at all,” adds Abdel-Aziz, who believes that the post-revolution president, whatever his political orientation, must work hard to satisfy the nation. “If he makes a small mistake, he'll be ousted, like Mubarak," adds Abdel-Aziz.
