Egyptians vote in Presidential Election

Egyptians began voting freely Wednesday for the first time to pick their president in a wide open election. The poll pits Islamists against men who served under deposed leader Hosni Mubarak.

The contest is a novelty for a nation where elections during the 30-year rule of Mubarak were thinly attended and in which the result was a foregone conclusion.

This time, many of Egypt's 50 million eligible voters were already queuing before polling stations opened at 8 a.m. local time.

5 million Egyptian Christians are eligible to vote.

Lydia O’Kane spoke to Fr Rafic Greiche, Chief press spokesman, of the Greek Melkite Catholic Church in Cairo about what this election means for Christians in the country.

He says, Now we are on the edge, it’s all white or black. If we have a President who is liberal and he will apply what he promised to give the Christians their rights of building the Churches, the rights of civic, I mean the law for the family and not to have discrimination between Muslims and Christians, it will be good, if not it will be a very hard time.”

Father Rafic also adds that many people are coming out to vote in this election and are very happy to do their duty as citizens. Listen to Lydia O'Kane's interview