Cairo - President Hosni Mubarak's National Democratic Party has consolidated its grip on power in the third and final phase of Egypt's parliamentary elections.
The NDP took 23 seats of 39 won outright in Wednesday's voting in Cairo and the governorates of Giza, Minya, Qaliubiya, Beni Suef, Assiut, New Valley and Marsa Matrouh, according to the state Middle East News Agency, which quoted the Interior Ministry.
The opposition Wafd Party won one seat, the liberal Ahrar Party took one and independents had 10. Run-offs will take place on Tuesday for the 121 seats where no candidate got more than 50 per cent of votes.