The discourse of transformation in Egypt is still restricted to talk of replacing individual officials, and at best replacing both officials and policies -- ludicrous demands, for the politicians and policies intended are those of the ruling National Democratic Party. It was that party's programme, in theory, that led to its coming to power. And if it is the privilege of NDP members to call on the party to change its policies or replace its leaders, that is one thing. It is quite another for the opposition parties to follow suit, betraying an attitude that can only be called politically naïve. Opposition parties should rather present the electorate with their own alternative policies and thereby gain their trust.
The problem of reform in Egypt relates directly to the essence of the constitutional order, which prevents change by subscribing to an undemocratic philosophy.
Likewise laws and conventions have been perpetuated, which prevent the rotation of power through elections, with the result that conditions, figures and policies remain unchanged.
The problem of the Egyptian administration resides in that part of it which imagines it can preserve current conditions through the discourse of reform, employing political manoeuvres against those parties that exercise pressure in calling for transformation. And the problem of Egyptian reformists is that many of them end up drowning in the details, crucially forgetting that reform will happen not through a change of government but by rewriting the constitution itself.
This week's Soapbox speaker is the editor-in-chief of the weekly newspaper Al- Qahira.
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The discourse of transformation in Egypt is still restricted to talk of replacing individual officials, and at best replacing both officials and policies -- ludicrous demands, for the politicians and policies intended are those of the ruling National Democratic Party. It was that party's programme, in theory, that led to its coming to power. And if it is the privilege of NDP members to call on the party to change its policies or replace its leaders, that is one thing. It is quite another for the opposition parties to follow suit, betraying an attitude that can only be called politically naïve. Opposition parties should rather present the electorate with their own alternative policies and thereby gain their trust.
