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Islamists Make Gains In Egypt

The Muslim Brotherhood, Egypt`s largest Islamic group, more than doubled its legislative representation in runoff parliamentary elections, according to initial results announced Wednesday. The Brotherhood, which was founded in 1928 and has been banned since 1954, had won 34 seats after a first-round runoff vote Tuesday, and the ruling National Democratic Party about 70 seats.

The government generally tolerates the Muslim Bortherhood group, which renounced violence in the 1970s, but hundreds of members have been detained in recent months during a period of increased protests against President Hosni Mubarak, Egypt`s leader for 24 years. The ruling party was not expected to lose its long-held majority in the 454-seat parliament.

The runoffs, which were marred by scattered violence and allegations of fraud, were called to decide 133 races in which no candidate won more than half the vote in Nov. 9 polls. In the seats decided Nov. 9, the ruling party won 26, the Brotherhood four and an independent one. The Brotherhood is fielding about 100 candidates in the second and third rounds of the elections, scheduled for Sunday and Dec. 1.