CAIRO.- MENA, the official news organization in Egypt announced Monday that the winner of the run-off presidential elections is Mohammad Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood. The two-day run off presidential elections took place over the weekend. The official results have not yet been announced.
Morsi, on his unofficial victory said that God had "guided Egypt to this path of freedom and democracy," as reported by the New York Times. He also vowed support to the country's Christian minority.
With Morsi's win as the first democratically elected president in three decades, all eyes turn to the military authority, some doubtful that it will hand over all authority to the new president and his administration.
On Sunday, the military passed a legislation that gave them constitutional and budgetary authority and also the power to veto any declaration of war. Last week the Supreme Court also dissolved the democratically elected parliament by ruling it illegitimate. The action of the military has stirred worry and anxiety among Egyptians whose ultimate desire seems to be to establish a democratic government. Mohamed ElBaradei, an important political figure told BBC News that the military's declaration was "a grave setback for democracy and revolutions....a seizure of the future of Egypt."
According to MENA, Major General Mohammed al-Assar said that the transfer of power will take place soon and will be done in a "grand ceremony," as reported by the AP.
Morsi was up against former Mubarak Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq. According to the Muslim Brotherhood, Morsi held a 52 to 48 lead on Shafiq; however Shafiq's team rejects these claims stating that Shafiq is the one with the lead.
The Higher Presidential Election Committee (HPC) will make the official announcement of the winner on Thursday.
