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After decades of authoritarian rule, any opportunity for a popular election in Egypt should be a moment to celebrate. But today’s national parliamentary election, while representing another step toward democracy, is also one that comes with significant concerns.
The underlying news today is that the strong turnouts, marred by four-hour delays at some sites, is a sign of the deep and passionate need of Egyptians to have a full stake in their political future. There are thousands of examples, but one that touched me was hearing from Radio Masr of an 82-year-old woman who was so happy that she was voting for the first time.