Election workers count ballots for the parliamentary elections in Luxor, Egypt, Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2011. Egypt's military rulers are taking credit for the strong turnout in the country's first parliamentary elections since the ouster of Hosni Mubarak, the head of the election commission proclaims that the turnout so far is "massive and unexpected,." (AP Photo)
Election workers count ballots for the parliamentary elections in Luxor, Egypt, Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2011. Egypt's military rulers are taking credit for the strong turnout in the country's first parliamentary elections since the ouster of Hosni Mubarak, the head of the election commission proclaims that the turnout so far is "massive and unexpected,." (AP Photo)
An Egyptian Army soldier carries a ballot box after the polls closed in the country's parliamentary elections in Luxor, Egypt, Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2011. Egypt's military rulers are taking credit for the strong turnout in the country's first parliamentary elections since the ouster of Hosni Mubarak. (AP Photo)
Egyptian soldiers carry ballot boxes to a counting center after polling stations closed in Cairo, Egypt, Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2011. Egypt's military rulers were quick to take credit Tuesday for a strong turnout in the first elections since Hosni Mubarak's ouster, a vote that appeared to be the country's freest and fairest in living memory. (AP Photo)
Egyptian policemen make way for an army armored personnel carrier arriving to secure a vote counting center after polling stations closed in Cairo, Egypt, Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2011. Egypt's military rulers were quick to take credit Tuesday for a strong turnout in the first elections since Hosni Mubarak's ouster, a vote that appeared to be the country's freest and fairest in living memory. (AP Photo/Bela Szandelszky)
CAIRO (AP) ? Following an unexpectedly large turnout, Egypt's election commission announced Thursday a delay in final results for the first-round of parliamentary elections while judges monitoring the count said Islamist parties are poised to gain a parliamentary majority.
The political arm of the Muslim Brotherhood, Egypt's largest and best organized group, could take as much as 45 percent of the seats being contested. The Egyptian bloc coalition of liberal parties and the ultra-fundamentalist Nour party were competing for second place, the judges said, speaking on condition of anonymity because the count remains incomplete.
Together, Islamist parties would have a majority, which could allow them to steer the long-secular U.S. ally in a more religiously conservative direction. Egypt would follow Tunisia and Morocco, where Islamist parties have won majorities in parliament since the outbreak of this year's Arab Spring uprisings. Islamist parties present themselves as better able to rule justly than the region's long-serving dictators, who often rule with Western support.
This week's balloting, which covered nine of Egypt's 27 provinces, was the first of six stages of elections that will be held through March to choose the first parliament following Mubarak's ouster in a popular uprising in February. The extent of the power of the new legislature remains uncertain.
The Supreme Council of the Armed forces, a group of 20 generals that took control of the country when Mubarak fell, has made moves to preserve its vast legislative and executive power.
But the Muslim Brotherhood will likely challenge the military on the issue, and high voter turn out in the elections could give it a stronger popular mandate to push for civilian rule.
Brotherhood leaders have already said they will lead coalition government after the vote that will choose its own prime minister.
The military has other plans. Last week, military leader Hussein Tantawi hand-picked a Mubarak-era prime minister to head the next government. Kamal el-Ganzouri, who served under Mubarak between 1996-99, has yet to form a government and it is difficult to imagine that he will only serve in that position for three months.
State media said el-Ganzouri was meeting Thursday with candidates to hold ministerial positions in the new government, which he is expected to announce Saturday.
El-Ganzouri also said the military council is the only body able to appoint a new government ? a comment likely to further enflame accusations that his government is a mere front for continued military rule.
A collision between the military and the Brotherhood over the next stage of the transition would add yet another layer of turmoil in this nation of 85 million after nearly 10 months of disputes and rivalries, culminating with recent clashes between security forces and protesters demanding the military step down immediately.
The military did not field candidates in the parliamentary vote. But winning bragging rights for a smooth, successful and virtually fraud-free election would significantly boost the ruling generals in their bitter struggle with youthful protesters in Cairo's Tahrir Square demanding a transfer to civilian authority.
The duration of the next parliament's term is also in question. If the military's timetable for a transfer of power holds true, then the next parliament may not sit for more than a few months. Parliament will hold its inaugural session in March, meaning that a new constitution must be drafted and adopted in a referendum before presidential elections now slated for before the end of June.
On Friday, the head of Egypt's election commission said the announcement of final results for the first-round will be delayed until Friday.
The commission previously said results from the two-day balloting would be announced late Thursday. But the state MENA news agency quotes commission head Abdel-Mooaez Ibrahim as saying a large voter turnout has slowed down the counting process.
Official figures have not been released, but Maj. Gen. Ismail Etman, a member of the ruling military council, has estimated the turnout among some 50 million eligible voters was 70 percent.
Monday and Tuesday's voting will determine about 30 percent of the 498 seats of the People's Assembly, parliament's lower house. The subsequent two rounds, ending in January, will cover other provinces in turn. Then the process repeats until March to elect the less powerful upper house.
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