Egyptians vote in historic presidential election Wednesday - Some 50 million eligible voters in Egypt head to the polls Wednesday to elect a new president. PANA reports that long queues were seen at polling stations long before voting began at 8am local time. The voters will be casting their ballots for one of 12 candidates vying to succeed ousted president Hosni Mubarak. There were reports of tight security at polling stations across the country, with police officers and soldiers overseeing the procedure.

Voting, which will last two days, is taking place at 13,000 polling stations and early results are expected on Sunday.

The election marks the final phase of a tumultuous transition overseen by the ruling military council after Mubarak was ousted in a popular uprising last year.

Among the favourites is former foreign minister and Arab League chief Amr Mussa, an experienced politician and diplomat who is said to belong to the old regime.

The powerful Muslim Brotherhood candidate, Mohammed Mursi, and a former member of the Islamist movement, Abdel Moneim Abul Fotouh, are also on the line.

The election caps an equally troubled transition, marked by political upheaval and bloodshed, but which also witnessed democratic parliamentary elections that saw Islamist groups score a crushing victory.

A sick Mubarak, 84, who is awaiting verdict of his murder trial on 2 June, is accused of corruption and involvement in the killing of some 850 protesters during the uprising.

Pana 23/05/2012