By SARAH EL DEEB and LEE KEATH 06/17/12 11:37 PM ET AP
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CAIRO — The Muslim Brotherhood declared early Monday that its candidate, Mohammed Morsi, won Egypt's presidential
election, which would be the first victory of an Islamist as head of state in the stunning wave of protests demanding democracy
that swept the Middle East the past year. But the military handed itself the lion's share power over the new president,
sharpening the possibility of confrontation.
With parliament dissolved and martial law effectively in force, the generals issued an interim constitution making themselves
Egypt's lawmakers, taking control over the budget and granting themselves the power to determine who writes the permanent
constitution that will define the country's future.
But as they claimed victory over Hosni Mubarak's last prime minister Ahmed Shafiq after a deeply polarizing election, the
Brotherhood challenged the military's power grab. The group insisted on Sunday that it did not recognize the dissolution of
parliament or the military's interim constitution – or its right to oversee the drafting of a new one.
That pointed to a potential struggle over spheres of authority between Egypt's two strongest forces. The Brotherhood has
campaigned on a platform of bringing Egypt closer to a form of Islamic rule, but the military's grip puts it in a position to block
that. Instead any conflict would likely center on more basic questions of power.
In a victory speech at his campaign headquarters, Morsi clearly sought to assuage fears of a large sector of Egyptians that the
Brotherhood will try to impose stricter provisions of Islamic law. He said he seeks "stability, love and brotherhood for the
Egyptian civil, national, democratic, constitutional and modern state" and made no mention of Islamic law.
He vowed to all Egyptians, "men, women, mothers, sisters, laborers, students ... all political factions, the Muslims, the
Christians" to be "a servant for all of them."
<iframe width="853" height="480" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/ZhQQsKLkNhU" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
CAIRO — The Muslim Brotherhood declared early Monday that its candidate, Mohammed Morsi, won Egypt's presidential
election, which would be the first victory of an Islamist as head of state in the stunning wave of protests demanding democracy
that swept the Middle East the past year. But the military handed itself the lion's share power over the new president,
sharpening the possibility of confrontation.
With parliament dissolved and martial law effectively in force, the generals issued an interim constitution making themselves
Egypt's lawmakers, taking control over the budget and granting themselves the power to determine who writes the permanent
constitution that will define the country's future.
But as they claimed victory over Hosni Mubarak's last prime minister Ahmed Shafiq after a deeply polarizing election, the
Brotherhood challenged the military's power grab. The group insisted on Sunday that it did not recognize the dissolution of
parliament or the military's interim constitution – or its right to oversee the drafting of a new one.
That pointed to a potential struggle over spheres of authority between Egypt's two strongest forces. The Brotherhood has
campaigned on a platform of bringing Egypt closer to a form of Islamic rule, but the military's grip puts it in a position to block
that. Instead any conflict would likely center on more basic questions of power.
In a victory speech at his campaign headquarters, Morsi clearly sought to assuage fears of a large sector of Egyptians that the
Brotherhood will try to impose stricter provisions of Islamic law. He said he seeks "stability, love and brotherhood for the
Egyptian civil, national, democratic, constitutional and modern state" and made no mention of Islamic law.
He vowed to all Egyptians, "men, women, mothers, sisters, laborers, students ... all political factions, the Muslims, the
Christians" to be "a servant for all of them."
