Egypt's Presidential polls close.

The Egyptian people again proved to be a responsible and engaged electorate waiting patiently to vote and being inspired and excited by the opportunity to do so and relishing the uncertainty of the vote after years of rigged one party voting, according to Reuters.

Despite rioting violence and  arrests and deaths the committment of the majortiy of Egyptians to the democratic process has never been in doubt and it is a triumph for the electoral administration which has had to deal with
 an electorate of 50 million registered voters. This successful democratic process is a good omen for the future of  democracy in North Africa.

The constitution has yet to be written that will define the powers of the president they have voted for but there is satisfaction that the electorate has had its say after being denied for so long.

The Muslim Brotherhood was claiming victory for its candidate Mohamed Mursi but no exit polls or surveys are available.Ilsamists Mursi and Abdel Moneim Abol Fotouh are pitched against the two secular condenters Ahmed Shafik and Amr Moussa who are seen to have some connection with the former regime which may count against them.

If no one candidate gains  more than half the votes needed for victory in Wednesday and Thursdays polls the two leading candidates will go forward to a run off on 16 and 17 June.

Hosni Mubarak aged 84 confined to a hospital during his trial awaits the verdict on 2 June which could bring with it the death penalty, although commentators think this unlikely.