Islamist candidate Mohamed Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood was victorious in Egypt’s first democratic presidential election.

In the second round of polling, Morsi defeated Ahmed Shafik, a former air force general and the last prime minister under deposed president Hosni Mubarak.

Results on June 18, with 98 percent of the poll centers counted, showed Morsi with 51.8 percent of the vote to Shafik’s 48.1 percent. Some 24.6 million votes were cast. Official final results were expected June 21.

The Muslim Brotherhood has campaigned on a platform of bringing Egypt closer to a form of Islamic rule. Morsi was part of the movement that overthrew Mubarak.

Just as the polls were closing, Egypt’s military issued a declaration granting itself sweeping powers that stripped the president of nearly all significant powers. Despite the decree, Egypt’s ruling military council has vowed to hand over power to an elected president by the end of June. — jta