I was extremely pleased to see this Associated Press headline this morning; Mubarak Orders Egypt Election Law Changes. Believe it or not, previous to this announcement, only one candidate could run for President (Egypt's highest controlling political position, unlike Iraq where such position will be mainly ceremonial) in each election. Obviously that is not very Democratic.
Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak ordered a revision of the country's election laws Saturday and said multiple candidates could run in the nation's presidential elections, a scenario Mubarak has not faced since taking power in 1981.
Opposition figures and reform advocates welcomed Mubarak's announcement, but some feared it may only be a superficial change to appease pressure at home and abroad. The step came as a dispute sharpened with the United States over Egypt's arrest of one of the strongest proponents of multi-candidate elections.
So we will have to wait and see if this is anything more than political lip-service in answer to criticism of the recent arrest of an advocate for multi-candidate elections.
UPDATE: We found out what might be modivating this sudden reach towards more Democracy.
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.
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.
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