Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak surprised the world when he made a televised announcement on February 26, 2005 that he had asked the parliament and the Egyptian Shura council to consider amending the constitution in order to open the door for contested presidential elections this year.

“Out of my keenness to continue on the road to freedom... I submitted a request this morning to the People’s Assembly and the Shura Council to amend Article 76 of the Egyptian constitution regarding the system of electing the president of the republic, so that the two councils can start discussing it and suggest a proper amendment in a way that conforms with the conditions of the current stage” Mubarak said, before an audience at the University of Menoufiya in the Egyptian delta.

“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 choose from with their own will.”

This announcement was made soon after Condoleezza Rice had postponed a previously scheduled visit to Egypt. It is believed that this decision came as a result of the arrest of Ayman Nour, a leading opposition and head of the newly established Ghadd party.

Nour, who is still detained, described this move as “an important and courageous move” toward “comprehensive constitutional reform,” in a statement that was read by his wife Gamila Ismail.

US State Department Spokesman, Steven Pike, welcomed the initiative.

“As a friend of the Egyptian government and people, we’ve urged Egypt to broaden the base of political participation,” Mr Pike said. “This appears to be a step in the direction of a more open political system.”

Opposition has long called for open and free presidential elections; however, their request was repeatedly rejected by the ruling party. Accordingly, many believe that this is another manoeuvre by the government to avoid real reform.

“The way it’s going in the Parliament, we will find that the case will be as if the president is choosing who will be his opposing candidates,” Essam Al-Aryan, a leading member in the Muslim Brotherhood said.

People’s assembly Speaker, Fathy Sorour said that the constitutional changes would enable any person to nominate himself but under certain conditions. However, he was quoted by the official Middle East News Agency as saying parties could make nominations. Meanwhile, independent candidates will have to get the backing of a yet undefined number of members of parliament and local councils.

“Basically, nominees are limited only to the heads of opposition parties and opposition parties are registered by the government. In other words, the government is choosing who is eligible to run against the president,” Al-Aryan stated.

On the other hand, Dr. Usama Al-Ghazali Harb, Member of the Shura Council and Editor in Chief of the International Politics Journal, said that he believes that this is a historical transformation moment that will witness a difference. “What is happening now is only an indicator to this major historical transformation.”

Many political analysts believe that this step was going to be taken sooner or later.

Ahmed Sayed Ahmed, a political analyst in Al-Ahram Newspaper, says that there were several factors that pushed Mubarak to hasten the constitutional reform process. “There are pressures within the country represented in the call made by opposition groups for comprehensive political change. At the same time, foreign pressures for a more democratic Egypt are increasing.”

On the other hand, Muhammad Shamroukh, a journalist in Al-Ahram, sees that the decision came mainly as a result of popular pressure for change. “Talk on Gamal Mubarak succeeding his father as what happened in Syria led the people to go out and call for a change in the constitution to ensure rotation of leadership.”

Under the current system, the parliament, which is dominated by the ruling National Democratic Party, has to approve a sole candidate who then runs for referendum by the Egyptian people.

The next presidential vote is due in September and many young people are looking forward to it.

Saffaa Hussein, a student in the faculty of political science, Cairo University, said that she wishes she had a voting card. “This is a historical moment that I would like to participate in.” Saffaa did not see any use in voting before. “The results were known beforehand but this case is different. There is a chance for the people to have a say.”

However, Al-Aryan strongly believes that reform cannot take place when the state of emergency exists. “Reform should include the right of the candidates to equal sources for campaigning. This cannot happen as long as the Emergency Law is still in effect.”

Yet, Dr. Harb sees that this step will open the door to comprehensive reform.

“The President’s decision to allow competitive presidential elections opens the door for comprehensive reform of the constitution and the regime and allows us—for the first time since more than half a century—to work together to build a democratic republic.”