Millions of voters are casting ballots across Egypt to choose a new president, for the second time in two years.<\/p>\n
A huge security operation has been mounted by police and the military, amid fear of attacks by militants seeking to disrupt the polls.<\/p>\n
Former army chief Abdul Fattah al-Sisi, who deposed Islamist President Mohammed Morsi last year, is standing against left-wing candidate Hamdeen Sabahi.<\/p>\n
Mr Sisi is forecast to win by a comfortable margin.<\/p>\n
The elections are being held across two days, with the official result to be announced on 5 June.<\/p>\n
Shortly after polls opened, Mr Sisi cast his vote at a polling station in Cairo amid a throng of reporters and spectators.<\/p>\n
The 59-year-old appeals to Egyptians who crave stability after years of political upheaval and anything else than an easy win for him would be a source of astonishment, says the BBC’s Kevin Connolly in Cairo.<\/p>\n
President Morsi was deposed last July following mass protests and he is standing trial on a raft of charges. He strongly denies any wrongdoing.<\/p>\n
Egypt’s interim authorities have since clamped down hard on Mr Morsi’s Islamist movement, the Muslim Brotherhood, declaring it a terrorist organisation.<\/p>\n
More than 1,400 people have been killed and at least 16,000 arrested, including the Brotherhood’s senior leaders.<\/p>\n
Islamists and some secular activists are boycotting the polls in protest at the clampdown and repression of dissent.<\/p>\n
Nearly 200,000 members of the security forces are on duty at polling stations across the country. The tight security drums home a familiar message from Egypt’s military-backed interim authorities – that the dangers of Islamist militants are ever present, our correspondent says.<\/p>\n
In his election campaign, Mr Sisi has set out plans to develop agriculture, housing, education, impoverished areas and employment.<\/p>\n
He is backed by several big businessmen as well as a broad range of political parties from the Islamist right to the moderate left.<\/p>\n
Hamdeen Sabahi, who came third in presidential elections in 2012, offers an alternative to young voters who favour a civilian candidate over a former military one.<\/p>\n
He promises to combat corruption and incompetence while promoting civil rights.<\/p>\n
Both candidates say they will not re-legalise the Muslim Brotherhood.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Source: BBC<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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