October 29th, 2009 by Jason

Two years from the 2011 Egyptian presidential election, speculation over who will run continues to run rampant. Cynthia Johnston of Reuters explains President Mubarak’s silence has “fueled doubts over whether [he] has settled on a successor and will secure a smooth transition in his lifetime.” She quotes Cairo University professor Moustapha al-Sayyed: “Unless the will of God intervenes, I think if he is alive in 2011 he will seek a sixth term.” If he does not run, it is widely assumed his son Gamal Mubarak will take his place. But Johnston cites American University of Cairo professor Walid Kazziha who warns “It is not going to be an easy ride for Gamal. He will have a very hard time until he proves himself, and if he doesn’t, there are many challengers around.”

Recently, the ruling National Democratic Party denied reports they have launched a campaign to support Gamal for the presidency. However, a recent Facebook chat between Gamal and Egyptian youth has sparked controversy, as an independent MP has accused Gamal of calling poor Egyptians “lazy.”

In response to Mohammed Hassanein Haikel’s recent interview on political reform (see our previous post), Amr el-Shobki reflects on the current prospects for such reform. He asks, “who will dare to call for re-arranging the house from inside. Who are these reformers within the state who are willing to ‘take a scalpel’ and ’start a surgery’ for the reform of this country without demolishing the system or defaming the government? Do these reformers exist or are they just in our imagination?” While there are “thousands” of Egyptian politicians and officials who desire reform, “there is a state of unprecedented apathy as the regime has succeeded in deflecting the elite’s attention toward minor issues.” He concludes, “Egypt will not succeed at sports, cinema or theater, and will not be back on its feet economically without political reform.”

Posted in Egypt, Elections, Military, Muslim Brotherhood, Political Parties, Reform |