BALLOT

Historic Egyptian Voting Begins

Military leaders officially dissolve parliament.

Egyptians face a choice, of sorts. Voters in the country lined up early on Saturday for the first of two days of elections in which the country will choose between Hosni Mubarak’s former prime minister and a Muslim Brotherhood candidate. Members of the ruling military party worked to shore up their own influence before the vote Friday, and the generals who have governed the country since a popular uprising ousted Mubarak last year released a statement saying that they would ensure a fair vote. State-run media reported Saturday that Field Marshal Mohamed Hussein Tantawi had formally dissolved the parliament. The generals seem concerned about a threat to their power from the Muslim Brotherhood, however, and on Thursday Egypt’s highest court issued an order to disband the legislature, which is dominated by the Brotherhood.