The Supreme Electoral Committee (SEC) announced Saturday that the newly drafted national charter was approved by 98.1 percent of voters. SEC head Nabil Salib says 38.6 percent (20,613,677) of registered voters cast ballots in last week's referendum on the draft constitution, surpassing the 32% turnout of 2012 constitutional referendum. The number of 'yes' voters according to Salib was 19,985,389. More than 53,485,423 Egyptians were registered to vote in the constitution referendum that took place on 14 and 15 January, according to SEC.
The two-day vote also included clashes that led to the killing of at least nine people as security forces and supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood faced-off in several governorates. The newly-approved constitution will replace the one drafted in 2012 by an Islamist-dominated constituent assembly. According to the post-June 30 political roadmap, the referendum will be followed by parliamentary and presidential elections within the next six months. The spokesman for interim President Adly Mansour, Ahmed el-Muslimany, said Mansour has not yet decided whether presidential or parliamentary elections will take place first.
Mansour will address the nation on Sunday regarding the referendum.
Constitutional vote in figures:
Total registered voters: 53,485,423
Turnout: 20,613,677 (38.6 percent)
Invalid votes: 246,947
Yes: 19,985,389 (98.1 percent)
No: 381,341 (1.9 percent)
