Protesters shout slogans against the Egyptian military council, following Friday prayers in the landmark Tahrir Square on June 15, 2012. Courtesy Getty Images
Cairo, Egypt -- Mohamed Morsi was declared the new president of Egypt Sunday, an announcement that led to cheers in Cairo's Tahrir Square.
Morsi is a member of the Muslim Brotherhood. With 13 million votes, he defeated his opponent, Ahmed Shafik, the last prime minister under ousted President Hosni Mubarak.
Shafik received more than 12 million votes.
Both candidates had already declared victory in the hours before the announcement.
Authorities were on "high alert" before the official announcement in case Shafik won. They were planning to carry out a long-standing policy of using deadly force against people who attacked government buildings, officials said.
Instead, the streets of Cairo were filled with celebration -- even in scorching temperatures near 100 degrees.
This decision marks the end of Egypt's first democratic elections.
People were afraid a victory by Shafik meant Mubarak's ideologies and policies would be reinstated, nullifying any changes made following last year's revolution.
Morsi is an American-educated engineer who openly endorses a strict Islamic vision.
But, one question still remains. How much power will the new president actually wield now that the military council has full legislative authority?
An interim constitutional declaration allows the military to retain the power to make laws and budget decision until a new constitution is written.
The fear is the military will stage a coup d'etat.
The military council said it does not favor one political entity over another and respects the rights of Egyptians to protest but stressed the importance of self-restraint and respect for authority.
The Supreme Council urged political entities to respect democracy and "abstain from all possible acts that may descend the country into a full chaos."
CNN