Egypt eyes reform for fall election

CAIRO — Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, in a surprise reversal, yesterday took a significant step toward democratic reform in the world’s most populous Arab country by ordering that presidential challengers be allowed on the ballot this fall.

The opposition long had demanded an open election, but Egypt’s ruling party repeatedly had rejected it.

The Egyptian president, who has held power since 1981 without facing an election opponent, only last month dismissed calls for reform as “futile.”

Mr. 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,” Mr. Mubarak told an audience at Menoufia University, north of Cairo, that he had instructed 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,” Mr. Mubarak said.

His audience broke into applause. “Long live Mubarak, mentor of freedom and democracy,” some shouted, while others recited verses of poetry praising the government.

Mr. Mubarak’s sudden shift was the first sign from Egypt, a key U.S. ally, that it was ready to participate in the democratic evolution in the Middle East, in particular historic elections in Iraq and the Palestinian territories that followed balloting in Afghanistan.

Mr. Mubarak faced increasingly vocal opposition at home and growing friction with the United States over the lack of reform.

President Bush, in his inaugural address a little over a month ago, emphasized that promoting democracy and ending tyranny in the Middle East and around the globe are prominent goals of the United States.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice last week criticized the Mubarak government’s detention of a leading advocate of democracy and, on Friday, announced postponement of a Mideast visit planned for next week.

A senior U.S. official cited Miss Rice’s displeasure with the arrest last month of the activist, Ayman Nour, and other actions by the Mubarak government. Miss Rice wanted to see what steps were taken before going to Cairo, the official said.

“We have moved a mountain,” said Rifaat el-Said, leader of the opposition Tagammu party. “This should open the gate for other democratic reforms.”

Mr. Mubarak’s order to parliament declared the constitutional 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 Mr. Mubarak was likely to stay in power after the September vote.

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