Posted on 02/26/2005 8:02:22 PM PST by NormsRevenge
CAIRO, Egypt - In a surprise and dramatic reversal, President Hosni Mubarak (news - web sites) took a first significant step Saturday toward democratic reform in the world's most populous Arab country, ordering the constitution changed to allow presidential challengers on the ballot this fall.
An open election has long been a demand of the opposition but was repeatedly rejected by the ruling party, with Mubarak only last month dismissing calls for reform as "futile."
The sudden shift was the first sign from the key U.S. ally that it was ready to participate in the democratic evolution in the Middle East, particularly historic elections in Iraq (news - web sites) and the Palestinian territories. Mubarak's government has faced increasingly vocal opposition at home and growing friction with the United States over the lack of reform.
"We have moved a mountain," said Rifaat el-Said, leader of the opposition Tagammu party. "This should open the gate for other democratic reforms."
But Mubarak's order to parliament declared the amendment must state that any potential candidate be a member of an official political party and win the endorsement of parliament, which is dominated by the president's ruling party.
Most opposition parties and reform activists, therefore, said the initiative, though welcome, did not go far enough and that they feared it was only cosmetic. All acknowledged that Mubarak was likely to stay in power after the September vote.
One party has held a lock on power for more than half a century and every president has been unopposed in elections since the 1952 revolution overthrew the monarchy.
Egypt currently holds presidential referendums every six years in which people vote "yes" or "no" for a single candidate approved by parliament. Mubarak, who came to power in 1981 after the assassination of Anwar Sadat, has stood in four ballots, winning more than 90 percent each time.
Mubarak made the announcement in a nationally televised speech, surprising even some in his inner circle, one source close to the presidency said.
Touting "freedom and democracy," Mubarak told an audience at Menoufia University, north of Cairo, that he asked parliament and the consultative Shura Council to amend the constitution's Article 76 on presidential elections.
The changes would set a direct vote "giving the chance for political parties to run" and "providing guarantees that allow more than one candidate for the people to choose among them," Mubarak said.
The audience broke into applause, with some shouting, "Long live Mubarak, mentor of freedom and democracy!" Others recited verses of poetry praising the government.
Ayman Nour, who is one of the strongest proponents of an open election and who was arrested by Egyptian police last month, praised Mubarak's announcement in a statement from jail. Nour called it "an important and courageous move" toward "comprehensive constitutional reform," in a statement read by his wife, Gamila Ismael.
The need for parliamentary approval, however, likely would deny participation by the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood, Egypt's largest Islamic group and probably the most powerful rival to Mubarak if an open vote were held. In a statement Saturday, the group — whose supporters make up the largest opposition bloc in parliament — demanded further reforms, including greater freedom to form political parties, and the end to Egypt's nearly 25-year-old emergency laws.
The rules would also exclude three well-known political activists who have started a campaign to allow their run for presidency: feminist writer Nawal el-Saadawi, sociologist Saad Eddin Ibrahim, and former opposition member of parliament Mohammed Farid Hassanein.
Mohammed Kamal, a leading member of the ruling party's policy-making committee, said parliament would propose an amendment within two weeks, and a national referendum to approve it would be held within nine weeks.
George Ishaq, spokesman for the Kifaya, or "Enough," movement that has led a series of anti-Mubarak protests since December, said the move was not complete. "Freedom and democracy is a normal request for people," he said. "We need more than this."
Political analyst Mohamed el-Sayed Said criticized Egypt's constitution as "obsolete, replete with gaps and contradictions" and said other articles in the document should also be changed.
The announcement came amid a sharp dispute with the United States over reform — particularly over the arrest of Nour, head of the opposition Al-Ghad party.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice (news - web sites) criticized Nour's detention and put off a Mideast visit planned for next week. A senior U.S. official cited Rice's displeasure with the arrest and other Egyptian actions and said Rice wanted to see what steps were taken before going to Cairo.
Egypt, the second largest recipient of U.S. aid, was the first Arab nation to sign a peace treaty with Israel, in 1979, and often mediates in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.
As the Bush administration presses allies for political change, even reformers in the region are touchy about U.S. interference.
"If this happened by the pressure from the United States, we don't want it," el-Said, the Tagammu leader, said. "In my view, it came from the mobilization of public opinion."
Hisham Kassem, a top official in Nour's al-Ghad Party, said he had mixed feelings about the initiative, which he called mostly cosmetic.
"I reject this as a member of a party whose leader has been arrested," he said. "Ayman Nour is the only credible candidate who could have faced Mubarak."
Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak (news - web sites) announces political reforms while speaking at Menoufia University in Cairo, Egypt Saturday, Feb. 26, 2005. Mubarak 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/Egyptian Presidency)
And not one Dummiecrat will give the US invasion of Iraq any credit for this. Just happened on its own!
Yes, I know I post this on every thread when yet ANOTHER sign of democracy spreading in the Middle East post-Iraq appears. I think it bears repeating.
No Pelosi praising our brave troops bringing democracy as the best way of preventing another 9-11...No Kennedy saying that US, not UN, action is promoting freedom...No nuthin'. Yet they love the USA sooooo much.
Rant over and out.
Meet their new mascot. ;-)
isn't that kind of the guy?? /sarcasm
Big Pharaoh
http://www.bigpharaoh.blogspot.com/
Saturday, February 26, 2005
Earthquake in Egypt!!
I never imagined what President Mubarak said today. He asked the parliament to amend the Egyptian constitution to allow multiple candidates to run for the presidency. This means that Muabark will have opponents running against him.
Now, I am not stupid nor am I living in la la land. Mubarak's decision today came after immense pressure from the US and the current earthquakes (the purple revolution in Iraq and the Hariri revolution in Lebanon) that shook the region days ago. However, I credit US pressure as the number one reason. Condoleezza Rice cancelled a trip to Egypt scheduled for next week because of the arrest of Ayman Nour and Mubarak's failure to "change". Well, it seems that Bush turned out to be bloody serious about this democracy in the Middle East thing. It also seems that Bushie will in fact make it to the history books that my grandchildren will be reading at school 50 years from today. If Syria or Iran fell, Bush can rest assured that he will add his name to the Lincoln-Wilson-Roosevelt-Reagan quartet.
Well, what do I think about all this? I mentioned before that I didn't want Egypt to rush to the ballot box. I wanted Mubarak to be pressured to open up the civil society of Egypt so that alternatives to his rule start to pop up. We simply do not know better and we needed time in order to see the alternatives and decide who is better.
Unless I am 100% sure that one of the candidates who will compete with Mubarak will be better than him, I'll probably vote for Mubarak next October whom I believe will win because of the resources he has as the country's sole authority.
Ripple effect of the Bush doctrine.
See, our two billion in aid to Egypt last year is helping affect incremental change. </sarcasm> I think for two billion dollars even the democrats in WA would be willing to allow free elections.
On a Biblical note, Egypt is central to God's plan for world peace (Isaiah 19:20-25). But before God heals Egypt, He will smite it (v.22). Before Egypt receives the knowledge of God, she will fall to Antichrist (Daniel 11:42-43). Egyptians will cry out to God for help, and He will send them a (the) Savior.
Thanks for the great news! I think this thread should be in "Breaking News." imho.
One of these days the left is going to wake up to the fact that George Bush may actually know what he's doing and has a plan.
It could happen
President Bush will eventually save the multi-party system, when he has the time to get around to it. ;-)
I just want the Democrats to grow up and get a clue. We need two parties(at least) and what scares me is one of them is run by childish moral midgets, and not particularly bright ones at that.
It is in Breaking News..posted early this morning. :)
Egypt's Mubarak Orders Election Changes
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1351521/posts
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