Polls open in Egyptian elections

Millions of Egyptians turned out on Monday to vote in their first election since a popular revolt toppled Hosni Mubarak in February. High turnout and a peaceful atmosphere in yesterday’s voting confounded fears of violence after a week of riots in which 42 people were killed.

US State Department spokesman Mark Toner said the high turnout was a step in the right direction for Egypt. “This is about the Egyptian people. As we said last week, as much as it is important to protest in Tahrir Square. The real future, democratic future of Egypt will be decided in the ballot box. And so as much as that message had been conveyed, and the Egyptian people are now exercising their democratic right in a peaceful fashion, that will lead to real democratic change in the long-term for Egypt. That’s a very good thing.”

The Muslim Brotherhood's party and other Islamists expect to do well in the parliamentary election, but the outcome is difficult to predict under a complex and unfamiliar voting system of party lists and individual candidates. Voting will be staggered over the next six weeks.

Listen to Christopher Wells’ report: