Egypt votes 'yes' for key electoral reform

A constitutional amendment introducing the first direct and contested presidential elections in Egypt won 82.9 percent approval in a referendum, Interior Minister Habib el-Adli announced on Thursday. Opposition denounced the results as "black comedy" and "total farce."Despite boycott calls by six opposition groups, including the popular Muslim Brotherhood, the Interior Ministry said in its statement that 54 percent of Egypt's 32 million registered voters - about 16.4 million Egyptians had participated.The Ministry said the figure was higher than in recent parliamentary elections. There was no independent, outside monitoring of the election results or turnout estimate."The voting masses have realized that political participation within the framework of constitutional legitimacy is the safe path towards the future, and that everyone is responsible for rejecting calls of sedition and division,"Adly said in a statement he read live on Egyptian TV.