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Egypt ruling party opens congress Egypt ruling party keeps Mubarak
(about 13 hours later)
Egypt's ruling National Democratic Party will open its general congress, focusing on social and economic policy. Egypt's ruling National Democratic Party has opened its general congress by voting to keep 79-year-old President Hosni Mubarak as its head.
Gamal Mubarak, the son of the Egyptian president, chairs the party's policy committee, giving him the chance to exert considerable influence. Party delegates voted overwhelmingly to retain Mr Mubarak for another five years in an uncontested secret ballot.
He is credited with the successful economic reforms implemented over the past three years. There had been speculation that the congress would elevate the president's son, Gamal Mubarak, to head the party.
The younger Mr Mubarak has denied often that he is being prepared to succeed his father, President Hosni Mubarak. The younger Mr Mubarak has often denied that he is being groomed to succeed his father as Egypt's next president.
But despite his frequent denials, many here believe he is being groomed to succeed his father. The four-day conference is officially to discuss social and economic policy.
In recent years, this former banker, has come to wield enormous influence over Egyptian affairs. But it is the first time the party has held a leadership vote since Mr Mubarak took over after the 1981 assassination of President Anwar Sadat.
Mr. Mubarak has many admirers in the business community who praise him as a thoughtful man, attentive to detail and determined to modernise the economy. Economic reformer
Gamal Mubarak chairs the party's policy committee, giving him the chance to exert considerable influence.
Gamal Mubarak denies he is being groomed to succeed his fatherHe is credited with the successful economic reforms implemented over the past three years.
In recent years the former banker has come to wield enormous influence over Egyptian affairs, says the BBC's Heba Saleh in Cairo.
He is admired by many in the business community who praise him as a thoughtful man, attentive to detail and determined to modernise the economy, says our correspondent.
But his critics say he is not a democrat and political changes introduced by his party last year have made Egypt more authoritarian.But his critics say he is not a democrat and political changes introduced by his party last year have made Egypt more authoritarian.
Despite his senior party position, Gamal Mubarak has been careful to cultivate a technocratic image making no effort to woo the masses.
Those who want him as president argue that he would guarantee the continuity of economic reform, and form a preferable alternative to the Muslim Brotherhood.Those who want him as president argue that he would guarantee the continuity of economic reform, and form a preferable alternative to the Muslim Brotherhood.
But those who oppose him say the next president should come through genuinely democratic elections.But those who oppose him say the next president should come through genuinely democratic elections.