Freedom on the March: Egypt's Mubarak Orders Election Changes

[gilliam]

By MAAMOUN YOUSSEF, Associated Press Writer

CAIRO, Egypt - Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak (news - web sites) on Saturday ordered a revision of the country’s election laws and said multiple candidates could run in the nation’s presidential elections, a scenario Mubarak hasn’t faced since taking power in 1981.

AP Photo

The surprise announcement, a response to critics’ calls for political reform, comes shortly after historic elections in Iraq (news - web sites) and the Palestinian territories, balloting that brought a taste of democracy to the region. It also comes amid a sharp dispute with the United States over Egypt’s arrest of one of the strongest proponents of multi-candidate elections. “The election of a president will be through direct, secret balloting, giving the chance for political parties to run for the presidential elections and providing guarantees that allow more than one candidate for the people to choose among them with their own will,” Mubarak said in an address broadcast live on Egyptian television.

(Excerpt) Read more at story.news.yahoo.com …

 

[gilliam]

From Tigerhawk:

**The power of “displeasure” **

Yesterday, the papers reported that Secretary of State Rice was not going to Egypt, as expected. The announcement bagged the Egyptian government, which has been waving its arms around and generally trying to look supportive of the United States in the Middle East:
The decision not to go apparently caught Egypt off-guard. The country’s major pro-government newspaper, Al-Ahram, reported Friday that Rice would be in Egypt next Saturday.
Cloaked behind the usual diplo-deniability, we see that there was a reason:
A senior U.S. official, citing Rice’s displeasure with the arrest and other internal actions taken by the Egyptian government, said change was needed and she wanted to see what steps were taken before going to Cairo. The official spoke only on condition of anonymity.
Today President Mubarak announced a new package of democratic reforms. The Associated Press’s Maamoun Youssef:
Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak on Saturday ordered a revision of the country’s election laws and said multiple candidates could run in the nation’s presidential elections, a scenario Mubarak hasn’t faced since taking power in 1981.

**The surprise announcement, a response to critics’ calls for political reform, comes shortly after historic elections in Iraq and the Palestinian territories, balloting that brought a taste of democracy to the region. It also comes amid a sharp dispute with the United States over Egypt’s arrest of one of the strongest proponents of multi-candidate elections. **

“The election of a president will be through direct, secret balloting, giving the chance for political parties to run for the presidential elections and providing guarantees that allow more than one candidate for the people to choose among them with their own will,” Mubarak said in an address broadcast live on Egyptian television.
Even the activists, grudging as they are, see cause and effect. From the A.P.‘s Nadia Abou El-Magd:
Hafez Abu Saada, director of the Egyptian Organization for Human Rights, praised Mubarak’s ``unexpected step,’’ which he said reflected local, regional and international pressure. [Pressure from whom? - eds.]

``It is an important step that gives the Egyptian society a strong push for more freedom and democracy,’’ he said.

Activist Aida Seif el-Dawla was tentative in her praise.

**This concession is made to the United States of America. It is better for him (Mubarak) if this decision came as a result of the national dialogue with the opposition parties and in response to the protests against the law**,'' she said. Let us wait and see, because a free campaign of more than one candidate requires more than a statement from the president.’’
Of course it would have been better if Mubarak allowed democratic elections “as a result of [a] national dialogue…” But he didn’t, did he?

Talking democratic reforms and walking them are different matters entirely, but it is astonishing and wonderful that Hosni Mubarak thinks that he even has to talk them. Now the world has to work hard to see that Egypt actually delivers reasonably honest elections.

The Big Pharoah should update his dream. David Brooks needs to update this morning’s op-ed column already.

 

[Franze]

It´s positive but he must not present another time to elections, it would be a small but symbolic change.

 

[gilliam]

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/nol/shared/img/v3/start_quote_rb.gif For the first time since the days of the pharaohs, the Egyptian people will choose their ruler http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/nol/shared/img/v3/end_quote_rb.gif

Mohamed Ulwan, opposition activist

Egypt’s President Hosni Mubarak has asked parliament to change the constitution to allow multiple candidates in presidential polls.

The surprise announcement followed US and domestic pressure for reform in the Arab world’s most populous nation.

Mr Mubarak said the move was aimed at bringing the law “in line with this stage of our nation’s history”.

The proposal will be put to referendum before September’s presidential poll.

Currently, Egypt holds presidential referendums on a single candidate approved by parliament.

Mr Mubarak’s National Democratic Party has dominated the assembly since political parties were restored in the 1970s and he was expected to use the system to secure a fifth six-year term in September.

The US has been pressing for democratic reform in the Middle East, including in close allies such as Egypt and Saudi Arabia.

Inside Egypt, there have been many calls recently by the opposition and civil society for political reform.

Opposition activists welcomed the announcement, though some were sceptical about President Mubarak’s motives.

The Muslim Brotherhood, the influential but outlawed Islamic organisation, said it would consider putting up a candidate.

An official in the opposition Al-Wafd party, Mohamed Ulwan, said it was a historic step.

“For the first time since the days of the pharaohs, the Egyptian people will choose their ruler,” he was quoted as saying by Reuters news agency.

But others were more cautious.

“What the president proposed today is a just a crack in the wall…This step is not enough,” said Abdel-Halim Qandil, editor of an opposition newspaper.

He said President Mubarak should not be allowed to stand again.

Guarantees

“This morning I have asked the parliament and the Shura Council to amend Article 76 of the constitution, which deals with the election of the president to discuss it and suggest the appropriate amendment to be in line with this stage of our nation’s history,” Mr Mubarak said in his speech, carried live on state television.

He said he wanted “to give the opportunity to political parties to enter the presidential elections and provide guarantees that allow more than one candidate to be put forward to the presidency”.

Until Saturday’s surprise announcement, Mr Mubarak had ruled out constitutional change.

The government and opposition parties had only a few days ago agreed to postpone discussing the constitution until next year.

A meeting in Cairo of G8 and Arab foreign ministers was recently cancelled because it was expected to raise sensitive issues about reforms in Egypt.

But the president will now be able to silence his critics, says the BBC’s Heba Saleh in Cairo.

She says it is unlikely that any candidate from an opposition party will be able to win against Mr Mubarak in the short term.

A feminist author and doctor, Nawal Saadawi, announced last year that she would stand for election - but at the time there seemed no way her candidacy could go forward.

Hosni Mubarak is Egypt’s longest-serving ruler since Muhammad Ali in the early 19th Century and one of the longest-serving leaders in the Arab world. He succeeded President Anwar Sadat, who was assassinated in 1981, and was re-elected in 1987, 1993 and 1999.

news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4300039.stm

 

[Franze]

It´s positive but he must not present another time to elections, it would be a small but symbolic change.

 

[HagiaSophia]

Franze:

It´s positive but he must not present another time to elections, it would be a small but symbolic change.

Agreed. The longest journey starts with the first step and these nations are going to have to slowly implmenet social change if they want to survive. Time and history are against them.

 

[HagiaSophia]

Franze:

It´s positive but he must not present another time to elections, it would be a small but symbolic change.

Agreed. The longest journey starts with the first step and these nations are going to have to slowly implement social change if they want to survive. Time and history are against them.