The Muslim Brotherhoods party said Wednesday its alliance was leading in Egypts election,which would give the nations oldest Islamist group a powerful parliamentary platform to challenge the authority of ruling army generals. State television said first-round results in Egypts first free election since army officers ousted the king in 1952 would be issued on Thursday,a day later than scheduled because of a high turnout in the largely peaceful poll. One party said it doubted the alliance led by the Brotherhoods Freedom and Justice Party had won 40 per cent of the vote,as stated by an FJP source,but other parties provided estimates that were in line with the figure. The results,if confirmed and repeated in the two remaining phases of a six-week election process,would position the |Brotherhood to jostle for power with the military council that replaced Hosni Mubarak in February after a popular uprising. The council,under increasing pressure to make way for civilian rule,has said it will retain powers to choose or dismiss a cabinet. But the FJP leader said Tuesday the majority in parliament should form the government. Islamist parties in Morocco and Tunisia have come out on top in elections in the past two months,although in both those countries they campaigned as moderates.
