Cairo - A mass defection of independent candidates has given Egypt's ruling party an overwhelming lead after the first round run-off voting in the country's parliamentary elections, Siona Jenkins reports.
After what appeared to be a rout of President Hosni Mubarak's National Democratic Party (NDP) on Tuesday, the state-run Middle East News Agency (MENA) announced yesterday that some 60 victorious independent candidates were switching allegiance, giving the NDP 118 of the total 150 seats up for grabs.
On Tuesday, the NDP won only 38 of 120 seats, with three going to opposition parties and the remaining 76 won by independent candidates.