Time for democratic elections, says Egyptian president

By Alex Singleton | 26 February 2005

President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt, who has ruled the country since 1981, has announced that Egypt will have open presidential elections in future. He announced on television today:

The president will be elected through direct, secret balloting, opening the opportunity for political parties to run in the presidential elections and providing guarantees that allow more than one candidate for the people to chose from with their own will.

However, the New York Times reports that some are skeptical:

Egypt's Parliament has a long history of diluting reforms, critics noted, and may yet announce rules on candidacy that would create the aura of democracy while preventing any real change. Also the president only mentioned amending the constitutional article on how the president is chosen, No. 76, not No. 77, which provides for unlimited terms.

Nevertheless, this does look like a positive move forward and should be welcomed.