Egypt's election decisive for whole region

The first ever free parliamentary elections begin today, Monday, in Egypt. Around 40 million citizens will choose the occupants of just under 500 parliamentary seats while the army appoints another ten MPs. This election will shape the entire region, writes the conservative daily Lidové noviny: "Just as the protests in Cairo swept the wave of revolution into other Arab states, this election could also become a model for those countries. Not only the outcome of the election but also whether it goes off relatively smoothly will be of vital importance. The dramatic events of the past few days, with street protests that have resulted in dozens of deaths, give rise to fears of a different scenario. ... If developments move in the wrong direction this would also be a signal for other revolutions. That could be the end of the dream of better conditions in the Arab world."

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