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Polls open in Egypt amid tensions Voter turnout low in tense Egypt
(about 3 hours later)
Local elections are taking place in Egypt against a backdrop of violent popular unrest and calls for a boycott by the opposition Muslim Brotherhood. Reports say voting is sluggish in local elections in Egypt which the government is sure to win.
Some 52,000 local councillors are being selected - but the ruling National Democratic Party is standing unopposed in the great majority of seats. Thousands of council seats are up for grabs in theory, but official media said 70% had already been won by the ruling party as they were unopposed.
Only 20 candidates affiliated to the Muslim Brotherhood are being allowed to stand after thousands were rejected. The polls are being boycotted by the opposition Muslim Brotherhood after thousands of their proposed candidates were barred from standing.
A youth, 15, was shot dead during protests in Mahalla al-Kubra on Monday. Tensions are high after a youth, 15, died in clashes with security forces.
The northern industrial city was reported to be calm on Tuesday, though protest organisers warned people could come back onto the streets later in the day. More than 100 civilians and security forces have been injured, some seriously, in clashes on Sunday and Monday, centring on the northern industrial city of Mahalla al-Kubra.
Ahmed Ali Mabrouk Hamada was found to be dead on arrival at hospital. He was shot by police during a demonstration over the high cost of living, officials said. Soaring food prices and low wages have strengthened popular discontent with the government, and there have been dozens of arrests.
Soaring food prices and low wages have strengthened popular discontent with the government, and dozens of arrests have also been reported outside of Mahalla al-Kubra. Outcome assured
Crackdown "The bread is getting more expensive, the people are worried about that and most don't care about politics," Medhat Abdel Nasser, a 20-year-old student, told the news agency Associated Press.
Correspondents report a trickle of people visiting poll stations to vote, and the BBC's Heba Saleh in Cairo says there is not going to be much competition. He walked by a polling station in Manial, a working-class district of the capital Cairo, without pausing, the agency said.
[We] appeal to the people not to vote Hussein IbrahimDeputy head of Brotherhood bloc in parliament Islamists' wait for power[We] appeal to the people not to vote Hussein IbrahimDeputy head of Brotherhood bloc in parliament Islamists' wait for power
The state newspaper al-Gomhuria and the official Mena news agency announced early on that the ruling National Democratic Party had already taken 70 percent of the 52,000 seats because they were uncontested.
A wide-ranging crackdown by authorities ahead of the vote left many candidates behind bars or unable to register in Egypt, a staunch ally of the US.A wide-ranging crackdown by authorities ahead of the vote left many candidates behind bars or unable to register in Egypt, a staunch ally of the US.
As well as independent candidates affiliated to the banned Muslim Brotherhood, local news reports also say significant numbers of candidates from the liberal Wafd party and left-leaning Tagammu party have also been rejected. Only 21 candidates affiliated to the Muslim Brotherhood are being allowed to stand out of thousands.
Local news reports also said significant numbers of candidates from the liberal Wafd party and left-leaning Tagammu party were also been rejected.
Rising food prices have sparked a wave of discontent
The Brotherhood called for a boycott of the vote - but the BBC's Heba Saleh in Cairo says it will be hard to gauge if the call is being heeded as turnout is usually very low anyway.
In previous times, municipal elections were rarely marked by controversy, but this year's poll is the first since a constitutional amendment in 2005 which required presidential candidates to secure the backing of local councillors.In previous times, municipal elections were rarely marked by controversy, but this year's poll is the first since a constitutional amendment in 2005 which required presidential candidates to secure the backing of local councillors.
Boycott call
On the eve of the vote the Muslim Brotherhood called for a boycott.
"We have decided to boycott the municipal elections, to withdraw our candidates and to appeal to the people not to vote," the deputy head of the Brotherhood's bloc in parliament, Hussein Ibrahim, told journalists on Monday.
He said that the authorities had used "illegal and immoral means" to exclude Brotherhood candidates, including "the arrest of 1,000 members, administrative obstacles to candidates registering and using prisoners as hostages", reported the AFP news agency.
Protesters in Mahalla al-Kubra pulled down a billboard of the president
However, our correspondent says turnout is usually very low anyway, so it will be hard to gauge if the Brotherhood's call is being heeded.
In Washington, the state department would not condemn the crackdown when repeatedly asked to comment on it by reporters.In Washington, the state department would not condemn the crackdown when repeatedly asked to comment on it by reporters.
Spokesman Sean McCormack said the administration was supporting political and economic reform in Egypt, but added that "fundamentally, they are going to have to arrive at their own decisions about the pace and the direction of this reform".Spokesman Sean McCormack said the administration was supporting political and economic reform in Egypt, but added that "fundamentally, they are going to have to arrive at their own decisions about the pace and the direction of this reform".
Billboard Strike thwarted
Protests continued in the industrial city of Mahalla al-Kubra on Monday. No unrest was reported in Mahalla al-Kubra on Tuesday following clashes there on previous days.
There were clashes between police and hundreds of protesters after some protesters tore down a billboard of President Hosni Mubarak. But observers said they were expecting more angry scenes after a 15-year-old boy, Ahmed Ali Mabrouk Hamada, died of injuries sustained in those clashes.
At least 25 people were arrested, and 15 protesters and five police officers were hurt, reported Associated Press. Details are still sketchy, but workers at the country's textile industry in the city said the police used live ammunition to disperse the protesters.
On Sunday thousands of demonstrators torched buildings, looted shops and clashed with police who forcibly prevented a strike going ahead in an important local textile factory. The protests were sparked when security forces moved into an important local textile factory under cover of darkness early on Sunday to thwart a planned strike.
Amid calls for a general strike thousands have stayed away from work and school, though correspondents say some could be fearful of violence. In ensuing violence, thousands of demonstrators torched buildings, looted shops and clashed with police, and there were further protests on Monday, when protesters tore down a billboard picturing President Hosni Mubarak.
The Egyptian government has promised to increase salaries and has extended its food subsidy programme to include an additional 15 million people.The Egyptian government has promised to increase salaries and has extended its food subsidy programme to include an additional 15 million people.
More than a third of Egyptians live below or just above the poverty line of $2 (£1) a day.More than a third of Egyptians live below or just above the poverty line of $2 (£1) a day.