Egyptian court dissolved parliament two days before election

Egypt's supreme court on Thursday ruled to dissolve the Islamist-led parliament, plunging a troubled transition to democracy into turmoil just two days before an election to replace ousted leader Hosni Mubarak.

Islamist politicians who had gained most from Mubarak's overthrow decried what they called a "coup" by an army-led establishment still stuffed with Mubarak-era officials. They said the street movement that spurred last year's popular uprising would not let it pass.

Outside the constitutional court, protesters chanted "Down, down with military rule" and hurled stones at troops lined up in a security cordon.

The parliamentary vote earlier this year had swept long-repressed Islamists into a commanding position in the legislature, a feat the Muslim Brotherhood had aimed to repeat with their candidate in this weekend's presidential vote.

Those parliamentary gains will now be put back up for grabs in a new election.

In a further setback for the Islamists, the Supreme Constitutional Court ruled that Mubarak's last prime minister, Ahmed Shafik, could stay in the presidential race against the Brotherhood's Mohamed Morsy.

Shafik, a former military man appointed premier in the last days of Mubarak's rule, hailed the rulings as "historic."