Egyptian Referendum Results
Via the BBC: Egypt referendum: ‘98% back new constitution’
Egypt’s referendum on a new constitution has been backed by 98.1% of people who voted, officials say.
Turnout was 38.6% of the more than 50-million eligible voters, the election committee said.
I must confess, I am a tad skeptical about any result that takes days to publish and shows an overwhelming victory for a referendum that a) was held under authoritarian rule, and b) for which there was no real alternative (let alone one that the opposition would prefer).
It is worth noting that the opposition did boycott the election, and turnout was low.
Legitimacy producing, this is not.
![Military Coup Underway In Egypt [Update: Morsi Deposed]](https://otb.cachefly.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/egypt-flag3-512x256.gif)
No one does voting better than military dictatorships. The only discussion they need to have is how close to get to 100%. The best of them know to back it off below 95%. And if they’re really hip they know to add some fractions. Hence the 98.1. The point 1 is what makes it scientific, you know. Better still though to have gone, say, 93.7% Now that’s an overwhelming yet less comically absurd number. 98.1 is overreach. 93.7 or even a bold 89.6 would have been better.
@michael reynolds: Decimals are vital.
@michael reynolds:
It’s to show that they have a sense of humor, Michael.
The part that I don’t understand is why support isn’t 100%. Any self-respecting military dictatorship ought to be able to get 100% approval.