No alternative

By Naguib Mahfouz

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I see no other alternative to Hosni Mubarak as president at present. Many of the candidates who have been named in the press are worthy of the greatest respect, especially Khaled Mohieddin. But none of them can credibly challenge the incumbent head of state. Some candidates don't seem to have the experience needed for the job, and it would be an excessive risk to try them out untested. I've also noticed that many ordinary people, particularly the working classes, have no wish to rock the boat for now.

Things can change even with the same president in office. People expect change more than anytime before. If they vote for Mubarak, they would be voting for change, not the status quo. To be fair, Mubarak has introduced many changes since he came to power. Mubarak has a grasp of what the country needs, and the country needs change. Mubarak is a safe choice. He is capable of introducing what's needed, the changes the public demands and expects.

Based on an interview by Mohamed Salmawy.