Cairo (CNN) -- On the eve of a presidential runoff election, Egypt's military council formally dissolved parliament Friday, in line with a ruling from the nation's top court that declared the legislative body invalid.
The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces -- the military rulers in control of the country since the fall of Hosni Mubarak -- officially informed parliament that it was dissolved, said Maj. Mohamed Askar, a spokesman for the council.He said there was no notice to lawmakers denying them access but a report posted on the English website of Al-Ahram newspaper said entry was barred.The military council, known by its acronym SCAF, claimed full legislative power after the High Constitutional Court's ruling Thursday that the constitutional articles that regulated parliamentary elections were invalid.if (typeof cnnArticleGallery == "undefined") {var cnnArticleGallery = {};}if(typeof cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList =="undefined"){cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList = [];}var expGallery51=new ArticleExpandableGallery();expGallery51.setImageCount(28);//cnn_adbptrackpgalimg("Political turmoil in Egypt", 1);
A protestor stands on a barricade of barbed wire as Egyptian military police stand guard. Egypt's Supreme Constitutional Court ruled that the Islamist-led parliament must be immediately dissolved.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length] = {"currentPicture":true,"x":5,"y":1,"pos":1,"title":"Political turmoil in Egypt"} 
An Egyptian boy waves his shoes as he joins supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood in a protest in Cairo's Tahrir Square against Mubarak-era prime minister and presidential candidate Ahmed Shafiq after Egypt's top court rejected on Thursday a law barring him from standing in a tense presidential poll runoff.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length] = {"currentPicture":false,"x":5,"y":1,"pos":2,"title":"Political turmoil in Egypt"} 
Protestors gesture towards military police through a barricade of barbed wire during a protest against presidential candidate Ahmed Shafiq outside the Supreme Constitutional Court on Thursday.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length] = {"currentPicture":false,"x":5,"y":1,"pos":3,"title":"Political turmoil in Egypt"} 
People walk past graffiti showing faces of ousted Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak, right; Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, second right; former Secretary General of the Arab League Amr Mussa, second left, and former prime minister and presidential candidate Ahmed Shafiq, left, at Tahrir square. cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length] = {"currentPicture":false,"x":5,"y":1,"pos":4,"title":"Political turmoil in Egypt"}
A boy peers through barbed wire at Egyptian military police standing guard outside the Constitutional Court in Cairo on Thursday, June 14.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length] = {"currentPicture":false,"x":5,"y":1,"pos":5,"title":"Political turmoil in Egypt"} 
Presidential candidate Mohamed Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood, who is set for a runoff election against Ahmed Shafiq, speaks at a press conference in Cairo on Wednesday, June 13.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length] = {"currentPicture":false,"x":5,"y":1,"pos":6,"title":"Political turmoil in Egypt"} 
Former Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq, center, is seated before addressing a business conference in Cairo on Wednesday.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length] = {"currentPicture":false,"x":5,"y":1,"pos":7,"title":"Political turmoil in Egypt"} 
Egyptians read the front page of newspapers for sale outside of Al-Fatah Mosque in Cairo on Friday, May 25.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length] = {"currentPicture":false,"x":5,"y":1,"pos":8,"title":"Political turmoil in Egypt"} 
Ballots are counted by election officials in Alexandria as the country eagerly awaits the outcome Friday.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length] = {"currentPicture":false,"x":5,"y":1,"pos":9,"title":"Political turmoil in Egypt"} 
A supporter of presidential candidate Abdelmonen Abol Fotoh voices her opinions at Tahrir Square on Friday.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length] = {"currentPicture":false,"x":5,"y":1,"pos":10,"title":"Political turmoil in Egypt"} 
Supporters of various candidates debate outside Al-Fatah Mosque in Cairo on Friday.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length] = {"currentPicture":false,"x":5,"y":1,"pos":11,"title":"Political turmoil in Egypt"} 
Electoral officials monitor voting in Namul, a village north of Cairo, on Thursday, May 24, the second and final day of voting in Egypt's historic presidential election. Egypt is holding its first presidential election since last year's toppling of Hosni Mubarak, part of the wave of Arab Spring uprisings.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length] = {"currentPicture":false,"x":5,"y":1,"pos":12,"title":"Political turmoil in Egypt"} 
Egyptian women wait in line Thursday to cast their vote outside a polling station in Cairo. If no candidate gets a majority of the vote in the first round of voting, a second round will be held June 16-17. cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length] = {"currentPicture":false,"x":5,"y":1,"pos":13,"title":"Political turmoil in Egypt"}
An election worker checks the identification of a voter at a polling place Thursday in Namul as Egyptian soldiers stand guard.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length] = {"currentPicture":false,"x":5,"y":1,"pos":14,"title":"Political turmoil in Egypt"} 
A soldier stands watch in the Egyptian capital on the second day of voting. A pervasive fear exists that the powerful military, which has run the country since Mubarak's fall 16 months ago, could try to hijack the election.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length] = {"currentPicture":false,"x":5,"y":1,"pos":15,"title":"Political turmoil in Egypt"} 
An Egyptian man waits to cast his ballot Thursday north of Cairo. The vote is considered Egypt's first free and fair presidential election in modern history. cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length] = {"currentPicture":false,"x":5,"y":1,"pos":16,"title":"Political turmoil in Egypt"}
An Egyptian man drops off his ballot at a polling station Thursday in Cairo. The voting marks the first time Egypt has held a presidential election in which the results aren't known beforehand.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length] = {"currentPicture":false,"x":5,"y":1,"pos":17,"title":"Political turmoil in Egypt"} 
An Egyptian woman holds up an ink-stained finger after casting her ballot in Cairo on Wednesday, May 23, the first day of voting in the historic election. cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length] = {"currentPicture":false,"x":5,"y":1,"pos":18,"title":"Political turmoil in Egypt"}
A voter studies her ballot Wednesday in Cairo. Thirteen candidates are competing in the wide-open race, but two withdrew after ballots were printed.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length] = {"currentPicture":false,"x":5,"y":1,"pos":19,"title":"Political turmoil in Egypt"} 
Egyptian men fill out their ballots Wednesday in Cairo. Results of the first round of voting are not expected before the weekend.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length] = {"currentPicture":false,"x":5,"y":1,"pos":20,"title":"Political turmoil in Egypt"} 
An Egyptian man casts his ballot at a Cairo polling station. Some Egyptians told CNN that they waited up to four hours Wednesday to vote.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length] = {"currentPicture":false,"x":5,"y":1,"pos":21,"title":"Political turmoil in Egypt"} 
Egyptian men shield themselves from the hot sun outside a Cairo polling station Wednesday.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length] = {"currentPicture":false,"x":5,"y":1,"pos":22,"title":"Political turmoil in Egypt"} 
Egyptian men line up to cast their vote Wednesday in Cairo. Some 30,000 volunteers fanned out to ensure voting is fair, said organizers with the April 6 youth movement, which has campaigned for greater democracy in Egypt.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length] = {"currentPicture":false,"x":5,"y":1,"pos":23,"title":"Political turmoil in Egypt"} 
Egyptian men fill out their ballots at a Cairo polling place.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length] = {"currentPicture":false,"x":5,"y":1,"pos":24,"title":"Political turmoil in Egypt"} 
Presidential candidate Hamdeen Sabahy, a leftist dark-horse contender, flashes a sign of victory as he waits to vote at a Cairo school.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length] = {"currentPicture":false,"x":5,"y":1,"pos":25,"title":"Political turmoil in Egypt"} 
Presidential candidate Abdelmonen Abol Fotoh, a moderate Islamist, casts his ballot Wednesday in Cairo.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length] = {"currentPicture":false,"x":5,"y":1,"pos":26,"title":"Political turmoil in Egypt"} 
An Egyptian Coptic nun drops her ballot at a Cairo polling station Wednesday. cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length] = {"currentPicture":false,"x":5,"y":1,"pos":27,"title":"Political turmoil in Egypt"}
Egyptian women wait outside a polling station in Cairo. Many Egyptians seem uncertain of their loyalties to any particular candidate.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length] = {"currentPicture":false,"x":5,"y":1,"pos":28,"title":"Political turmoil in Egypt"} Political turmoil in Egypt Event.observe(window, 'load', function() {//report the first gallery image to ADBPif(typeof(cnn_adbptrackpgalimg) == 'function' && typeof(cnnArticleGallery) != 'undefined') {cnn_adbptrackpgalimg(cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[0].image, "");}});Gen. Hussein Tantawi, the head of SCAF and Egypt's de facto ruler, was in an emergency meeting with the council Friday to discuss the drafting of a new constitution. The council is widely expected to issue its own interim constitutional charter.Analysts: 'Soft coup' court ruling could reignite Egyptian revolutionThe court's ruling triggered fears that Egypt's revolution will unravel and Cairo braced for angry protests Friday night. By evening, however, the capital was surprisingly quiet though a few protesters chanted in the streets calling for a boycott of the voting that begins Saturday.var currExpandable="expand18";if(typeof CNN.expandableMap==='object'){CNN.expandableMap.push(currExpandable);}var mObj={};mObj.type='video';mObj.contentId='';mObj.source='world/2012/06/05/pkg-wedeman-crowds-return-to-tahrir-square.cnn';mObj.lgImage="http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/dam/assets/120605105133-pkg-wedeman-crowds-return-to-tahrir-square-00000104-story-body.jpg";mObj.lgImageX=300;mObj.lgImageY=169;mObj.origImageX="214";mObj.origImageY="120";mObj.contentType='video';CNN.expElements.expand18Store=mObj;var currExpandable="expand28";if(typeof CNN.expandableMap==='object'){CNN.expandableMap.push(currExpandable);}var mObj={};mObj.type='video';mObj.contentId='';mObj.source='world/2012/06/04/pkg-wedeman-egypt-the-fall.cnn';mObj.lgImage="http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/dam/assets/120604101000-pkg-wedeman-egypt-the-fall-00023610-story-body.jpg";mObj.lgImageX=300;mObj.lgImageY=169;mObj.origImageX="214";mObj.origImageY="120";mObj.contentType='video';CNN.expElements.expand28Store=mObj;var currExpandable="expand38";if(typeof CNN.expandableMap==='object'){CNN.expandableMap.push(currExpandable);}var mObj={};mObj.type='video';mObj.contentId='';mObj.source='world/2012/06/12/wedeman-lklv-mubarak-egypt.cnn';mObj.lgImage="http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/dam/assets/120612070242-wedeman-lklv-mubarak-egypt-00004117-story-body.jpg";mObj.lgImageX=300;mObj.lgImageY=169;mObj.origImageX="214";mObj.origImageY="120";mObj.contentType='video';CNN.expElements.expand38Store=mObj;var currExpandable="expand48";if(typeof CNN.expandableMap==='object'){CNN.expandableMap.push(currExpandable);}var mObj={};mObj.type='video';mObj.contentId='';mObj.source='world/2011/02/02/natpkg.mubarak.in.his.words.cnn';mObj.lgImage="http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/dam/assets/120611054337-hosni-mubarak-october-1981-story-body.jpg";mObj.lgImageX=300;mObj.lgImageY=169;mObj.origImageX="214";mObj.origImageY="120";mObj.contentType='video';CNN.expElements.expand48Store=mObj;The runoff election pits Mohamed Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood against Ahmed Shafik, the last prime minister to serve under Mubarak.In its ruling, the high court cleared the way for Shafik to run after rejecting a new law that barred members of Mubarak's regime from office.Some people reacted to the rulings with reluctant acceptance."If we challenge the court's decision, then there wouldn't be anything left," said Mahmoud Mabrouk. "If we challenge the court, nothing will ever work again. Who else can we find to trust?"Mabrouk's words reflected a sense of tiredness among Egyptians, weary from a political process that has now gone on for months."Whatever the outcome is I will accept it," said Abdulwahed Bourham. "The ballot box speaks."The election of a president without a parliament means that whoever wins the runoff will be in a powerful position and will deal directly with the military rulers while a new constitution is written and until new parliamentary elections are held.Some called the move political as the parliament was dominated by Islamists, a group long viewed with suspicion by the military.A wild election weekend for Egypt, France and GreeceThe court ruling was "a complete coup d'etat through which the military council is writing off the most noble stage in the nation's history," said Mohamed el-Beltagy, a senior member of the Muslim Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party.Mohamed ElBaradei, a 2005 Nobel Peace Prize winner who waged a failed presidential bid, called for the country's military rulers to postpone the runoff election."Electing president in the absence of constitution and parliament is electing an 'emperor' with more powers than deposed dictator. A travesty," he tweeted Friday.Meanwhile, activists called for Friday protests.A youth group, calling itself the April 6 Movement, took to Facebook to call for early evening demonstrations to protest what it described as a "soft coup" by the military rulers.The group accused the military council of "trying its best to stay in power as long as they can in order to safeguard their interests, and we will not accept that at all," according to a Facebook posting.Egypt's presidential runoff to go ahead despite concernsCNN's Ivan Watson contributed to this report.
June 16, 2012 -- Updated 0521 GMT (1321 HKT) 
Ahmed Shafik was Hosni Mubarak's last prime minister. Now he hopes to become Egypt's first democratically elected president.June 16, 2012 -- Updated 0618 GMT (1418 HKT) 
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The revolution forced equality but no system is in place to support it, researcher says.June 6, 2012 -- Updated 1535 GMT (2335 HKT) 
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Ben Wedeman explains how much has changed since the last presidential election, but much remains the same.
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