Is Democracy coming to Egypt after decades of dictatorship ? Will the Military keep its promise of handing over power ?

Nine months after a historical revolution in Egypt, millions of Egyptians went to the streets to vote for the Egyptian parliamentary elections. More than 4,000 candidates from 40 parties competed for the elections. Independent candidates were running for one-third of parliament's 498 seats, and two-thirds of seats were reserved for winning party lists. To make easier for the voters, "each candidate and party has a symbol to help people identify them on the ballot papers: a key, a butterfly, an apple, a mango, a knife, a fork, a screwdriver, a megaphone, an electric blender, a camera, a motorcycle, a car, a ship, a train, a firetruck, a light bulb, a chandelier, a lighthouse, a lantern, a sunflower, a gold bar, a basketball hoop, a football, a cactus, a guitar, a violin, a ruby." Wendell Steavenson's blog in the New Yorker is a great source of information.

Although multiple rounds of voting will continue for weeks, everyone knows who is the winner: The Muslim Brotherhood. The Brotherhood re-branded itself as the Justice and Freedom Party ( following the Turkish model), and has fielded thousands of candidates. The central question on everyone's mind is whether the military will keep its promise of handing over power should the Islamist parties win ?

Egypt's bicameral parliament comprises two legislative chambers: The People's Assembly with 498 members, 488 directly elected while the remaining 10 are appointed by the President for five-year term. The Shura Council has 264-members with 174 directly elected and the 88 appointed by the President for six-year terms. The Council's legislative powers are limited, the Assembly has the last word on all legislative actions. Presidential elections are scheduled for in 2012.

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