Egypt fears violence in poll run-off

Egypt was braced for more violence last night after the official tally from its presidential election confirmed that there would be a second-round run-off between the Islamist Muslim Brotherhood and the last prime minister of the dictator Hosni Mubarak.

Young revolutionaries who overthrew Mubarak have said they will not accept a victory by Ahmed Shafiq who, as well as taking day-to-day charge of the government as the Tahrir Square protests began last year, is also a former air force general.

The army is braced for protests after the vote on June 16-17, and there is also a high likelihood of trouble in the run-up. On Saturday, a verdict is due in Mubarak's trial on charges of murder and corruption, with anger likely to meet anything less than a heavy sentence.

In the final tally announced on Monday, Mohammed Mursi, the leader of the Freedom and Justice Party, a front for the Muslim Brotherhood, won 24.8 per cent of the votes, slightly ahead of Mr Shafiq with 23.7 per cent. Third was the Left-wing nationalist, Hamdeen Sabahi, on 20.7%.