dateline: 26 June 2012
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Egypt Celebrates First Freely Elected President
Pre-Listening Vocabulary
- former: at a previous time
- cabinet: a group of advisors appointed by a leader
- sceptic: a person who has trouble believing in something
- resolve: to no longer be a problem
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Egypt Celebrates First Freely Elected PresidentComprehension Questions
- Why will this election “go down in history”?
- What group does the president-elect belong to?
- Why are some people worried about Egypt’s future with Morsi as leader?
Discussion Question: What do you think would have happened in Egypt if President Mubarak’s previous prime minister, Ahmed Shafiq, had been elected as president instead of Morsi?
Egypt Celebrates First Freely Elected President
After a historic presidential vote in Egypt, Mohammed Morsi, a member of the Muslim Brotherhood, has been elected as Egypt’s president. The former political prisoner defeated ex-prime minister Ahmed Shafiq, winning 51% of the votes. Thousands of people gathered in Cairo’s Tahrir Square to celebrate the results. Morsi is now working on putting together a cabinet, which he promised will include “all the talents.” Sceptics fear that Brotherhood members will put all of their effort into turning Egypt into an Islamic republic. These fears may be resolved if Morsi chooses a prime minister outside of the Brotherhood.
- This election will “go down in history” because it’s the first time in history that the Egyptian people have been free to elect a government of their choice.
- The president-elect belongs to the Muslim Brotherhood.
- Some people are worried that Morsi’s main goal will be to turn Egypt into an Islamic state.
