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Egypt's Mubarak Calls for Multi-Party Presidential Elections
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http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=BDC45A:2AB91D3

Surprise announcement follows increasing opposition calls for
political reforms





Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak

In a historic move, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak has ordered the
constitution changed to allow more than one candidate to run for
president.

In a televised address Saturday, Mr. Mubarak called for the
constitutional amendment to be made before May, in time for
September's presidential elections.

The surprise announcement follows increasing opposition calls for
political reforms and is a reversal of Egypt's 50 year tradition of
one-man, one-party rule. Egypt's current system allows the parliament
to select a single presidential candidate who is then approved in a
public referendum.

President Mubarak is 76-years-old, and has been president since 1981,
serving four consecutive six-year terms. He is widely expected to run
for a fifth term.


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