WASHINGTON, March 27 (Reuters) - The White House criticized Egypt, a close ally in the Middle East, on Tuesday for a referendum on changes to its constitution, saying a "vast majority" of Egyptians did not vote.

The most controversial changes would help the government exclude from the political system Islamists, who pose the most serious challenge to President Hosni Mubarak's party.

"While the approval of these amendments is a question for the Egyptian people to decide, it is evident that the vast majority of Egyptians did not choose to participate," White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said in a statement.

The Egyptian government said it had won 75.9 percent approval for changes to the constitution and that voter turnout was 27.1 percent. The independent Egyptian Organisation for Human Rights estimated that 5 percent of registered voters participated.

"We also took note of significant discrepancies between the estimates of voter turnout provided by the government and by both Egyptian and foreign media and observers," Perino said.

"As the Middle East moves toward greater openness and pluralism, we hope that Egypt will take a leading role as it does on many other regional issues."

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice discussed political reform with Egyptian officials during her recent trip and the United States planned to continue to raise the issue "at the highest levels," Perino said.

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