Egypt's Higher Presidential Election Commission (HPEC) on Sunday announced Muslim Brotherhood candidate Mohamed Morsi's victory in the historical presidential election after the fall of former president Hosni Mubarak.

Egypt's new president Mohamed Morsi delivers a speech.[ Xinhua]

Morsi is the chairman of the Freedom and Justice Party, the political wing of the Muslim Brotherhood. He got 51.73 percent of the votes in the run-off, defeating his rival Ahmed Shafiq.

Relying on the Brotherhood's powerful grassroots network, Morsi had also been backed by Salafist' Nour Party and Aboul Fotouh, a candidate in the first round, in the run-off. But leftist Hamdeen Sabahi, who ranked third in the first round, declined to support Morsi or Shafiq.

Concerning fears of the Coptics and the leftist movements, Morsi tried to reassure all Egyptians at a press conference after his campaign announced his win. He pledged to work with all Egyptians without discrimination to achieve freedom, democracy, development and peace.

"To all Egypt's citizens, Muslims and Coptics, to al-Azhar and churches, I pledged to be a father and a servant for all, there is no difference among all as long as they respect laws and constitution," the 60-year-old engineer said.

He was born in Sharqia in 1951 and received his Bachelor's and Master's degree in engineering from Cairo University. He obtained a doctorate in the same field from the University of Southern California. He was a member of parliament from 2000 to 2005. and then a member of Muslim Brotherhood's guidance bureau.

He joined the presidential race in the last moment and replaced MB deputy chairman Khairate al-Shater who was disqualified from running in the race. He affirmed the "renaissance project" which he said is not a dream but it is an applicable fact. The main pillars of his project upon a moderate understanding to Islamic law, are to build a political system, transfer Egypt towards developmental economy and achieving comprehensive human development.

Morsi promised to bring security, stability, justice and prosperity to Egypt after three decades of dictatorship under Mubarak.

On relationship with Israel, Morsi said he respects the peace accord and gives priority to the Palestinian issue.

The Brotherhood's members may see Morsi as a safe pillar given his background as a spokesman and electoral strategist for the movement, which has experienced many years of banning from the government.

After Morsi declared victory, thousands of Islamists flocked to Tahrir Square, the iconic center of the Egyptian revolution, to celebrate his victory and protest the supplementary constitutional declaration which prevents the coming president from exerting full powers.

Islamic and even liberal forces see the items of the declaration issued by the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces made the president a secretary to them.

Morsi filed about 200 appeals over the run-off results to the election commission before the final announcement. The appeals included violations during vote counting and sorting in some balloting stations as well as accusations against his rival Shafiq for affecting the voters' will.

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