Millions of Egyptians have been casting their votes in the first of three stages in the parliamentary elections. This round includes the country's two largest cities, Alexandria and Cairo.

A suspicion about the real agenda of the military still remains and all are aware that the parliament that is elected will only have legislative power. The real power - the executive power - will remain with the military, which says it will stay in charge until there is an elected president in place.

But what kind of government will emerge? And how much power will the military continue to wield? Are the lines of control really being re-drawn?

In a special edition from Cairo Inside Story discusses with Hisham Qasim, a publisher and human rights activist; Rabab el-Mahdi, a professor of political science at the American University in Cairo; and Hisham Safei el-Din, a former Egyptian police officer.