Al-Ahram Weekly 10 - 16 June 1999 Issue No. 433
Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875

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Serving the nation

By Gamal Essam El-Din

On the three previous occasions on which President Hosni Mubarak was nominated for a six-year term of office, he gained the sweeping support of the ruling National Democratic Party (NDP) as well as the qualified approval of some opposition parties. At a special parliamentary session last week, not only did the NDP stand solidly behind Mubarak's nomination for a fourth term, but the majority of opposition parties also said "yes".

The nomination is certain to win the overwhelming approval of the people in a nationwide referendum, expected on 26 September.

After nearly three hours of speech-making on 2 June, a massive majority of 443 deputies, including representatives of the Wafd, Tagammu and Liberal parties, approved the nomination in a secret ballot. This came after People's Assembly Speaker Ahmed Fathi Sorour had read out a resolution, signed by 445 deputies, proposing the move. The assembly is made up of 454 members -- 444 elected and 10 appointed.

Sorour later led an assembly delegation, who drove to the presidential palace in Heliopolis to inform Mubarak of their decision. Mubarak told the visitors that the "call of duty gives me no choice but to accept the assembly's nomination." He said he was confident that the assembly's decision was taken "out of keenness to preserve the nation's supreme interests and continue along the path of comprehensive development." Mubarak pledged that he would "spare no effort in realising a better life for all Egyptians."

Mubarak greeting a delegation of the Shura Council

The following day, last Thursday, a 254-member Shura Council delegation called at the presidential palace to declare support for the nomination. Mubarak also met separately with Sheikh Mohamed Sayed Tantawi, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, and Pope Shenouda III of the Coptic Orthodox Church, who endorsed the nomination. Similar support was declared on Saturday by the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, led by Defence Minister Field Marshal Mohamed Hussein Tantawi, and the Supreme Police Council, led by Interior Minister Habib El-Adli.

At his meeting with the Shura Council delegation, Mubarak recalled that when he took over, following President Anwar El-Sadat's assassination in 1981, he was fully aware of the harsh socio-economic conditions that faced Egypt. "At the time, I had two options: either to withdraw or face these challenges," Mubarak said. "But it is not my nature to withdraw from battles, however fierce they may be. Thanks to God, and to all those who cooperated with me, we launched a series of successive five-year development plans, and I hope that we will continue along this road until we achieve the cherished aspirations of our people."

For their part, Sheikh Tantawi and Pope Shenouda declared that their support reflected the deep-rooted national unity between Muslims and Christians.

As clearly noted by several analysts, there was a significant shift in the positions of the major opposition parties, representing a triumph for the moderate trends within them over the radicals.

Receiving a delegation from Al-Azhar headed by Shikh Tantawi; with Pope Shenouda II on the same day

In the liberal Wafd Party, Yassin Serageddin, who is known for his moderate position and close ties with the government, managed to drum up a majority of 23 members of the party's Supreme Committee in favour of the nomination against 19. Addressing the People's Assembly on 2 June, Serageddin said the Wafd's support was the result of Mubarak's "achievements which no one can deny". But Serageddin also expressed hope that Mubarak's fourth term would witness the introduction of an agenda of political reform, including the repeal of the emergency law, the amendment of the constitution and fair parliamentary elections.

Khaled Mohieddin, leader of the leftist Tagammu Party, said Tagammu had reservations about the system of presidential elections, but not about Mubarak's person. Mohieddin praised Mubarak for tolerating criticism as well as the opposition press. Tagammu had decided to abstain from voting on the nomination, but its five deputies said "yes" and joined the parliamentary delegation that went to the presidential palace to inform Mubarak of the Assembly's resolution.

Minister of Interior El-Adli (l) and Field Marshal Tantawi pledge their support on Saturday

The turnaround in the position of Tagammu, which had opposed the previous nominations, was considered a triumph for Rifaat El-Said, the party's secretary-general, who favours closer ties with the government. But it angered Abdel-Ghaffar Shukr, the party's assistant secretary-general, who submitted his resignation.

Eight minor opposition parties also declared support for the nomination. Only the Nasserist Party opposed it. But Sameh Ashour, the sole Nasserist in the assembly, did not attend the nomination session and this was interpreted by analysts as a "tactical move". An informed party source told Al-Ahram Weekly that Ashour is planning to run in Bar Association elections, if, and when, they are held. "Declaring opposition to Mubarak's nomination could minimise his chances in elections," the source said.

Diaeddin Dawoud, leader of the Nasserist Party, told the Weekly that the party held lengthy debates on the nomination issue last week. "The conclusion was that we had to say 'no', because the salient policies which we have opposed for the past 18 years remain unchanged, and there is no hope that they will be changed in the near future," he said. "Voting 'yes' would have meant that we approve of these policies."

Dawoud described the change in the positions of the Wafd and the Tagammu as "tactical moves in the hope that they would gain a larger number of parliamentary seats in the next general elections."

The Islamist-oriented Labour Party did not take a position. "This is not an essential point on the party's agenda," said secretary-general Adel Hussein. Labour's failure to declare a position was also interpreted as a "tactical move", in view of the party's current battle with Youssef Wali, agriculture minister and NDP secretary-general.

In the meantime, national newspapers have showered praise on the Wafd and the Tagammu for supporting the nomination. Salaheddin Hafez, managing editor of Al-Ahram, agreed with the Wafd's demand for greater democracy. He wrote that political reform was necessary to safeguard economic achievements and achieve social equality.

Testing the new equipment during Media Day celebrations on Sunday, and honouring Al-Ahram's Salaheddin Hafez and Amina Shafiq

 

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