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Egypt to ease curbs on parties | |
(20 minutes later) | |
Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak has said he will propose a constitutional amendment aimed at loosening some of the restrictions on opposition parties. | |
Mr Mubarak told parliament the changes would strengthen the chances of parties contesting presidential elections. | |
Critics say the move is intended to ease the succession of the president's son Gemal, through a process which only looks democratic. | |
Independent candidates are not expected to benefit from the new measures. | |
It is also understood that some of the changes will enhance the powers of both parliament and the prime minister, the BBC's Heba Saleh in Cairo reports. | |
The constitution was amended last year to allow the country to hold contested presidential elections. | The constitution was amended last year to allow the country to hold contested presidential elections. |
But so many conditions were imposed that, in effect, only the ruling National Democratic Party (NDP) of Mr Mubarak is eligible to present presidential candidates. | But so many conditions were imposed that, in effect, only the ruling National Democratic Party (NDP) of Mr Mubarak is eligible to present presidential candidates. |
Opposition 'too weak' | Opposition 'too weak' |
The president now wants to loosen some of the restrictions so that the legal opposition parties could compete. | The president now wants to loosen some of the restrictions so that the legal opposition parties could compete. |
Mubarak's son could succeed him, establishing a dynasty in a republicOfficials of the ruling NDP say it will provide an incentive for the opposition to improve its performance. | |
The legal parties here are too weak to present much of an obstacle to any candidate backed by the NDP, our correspondent reports. | |
The amendments are not expected to ease the restrictions faced by independent presidential candidates. They are likely to come from the Muslim Brotherhood - a popular, though illegal group. | The amendments are not expected to ease the restrictions faced by independent presidential candidates. They are likely to come from the Muslim Brotherhood - a popular, though illegal group. |