A moderate Islamist candidate has denounced Egypt’s first round presidential poll as dishonest in the strongest criticism yet of the historic vote.

A year after it claimed centre stage in the Arab Spring, Cairo’s Tahrir Square has become an open-air market where capitalism meets the revolution.

Egypt’s rival Islamist groups sought more gains in the second round of a parliamentary election on Wednesday, with liberals also fighting for a voice.

Egypt’s parliamentary elections have become hotly contested by rival Islamic groups all seeking to extend their early gains in the run-off vote.

Clashes erupted between protesters and police in Cairo and two other Egyptian cities, killing two people and wounding hundreds.

Thousands of Egyptians rallied in central Cairo on Tuesday in the biggest demonstration so far in an uprising against President Hosni Mubarak.

Activists trying to oust Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak played cat-and-mouse with police on the streets into the early hours of Thursday.