| Submit your comments on this article |
| Africa North |
| Egypt proposes term limits, competitive elections |
| 2011-02-27 |
| [Jerusalem Post Front Page] An Egyptian panel tasked with amending the country's constitution recommended Saturday easing restrictions on who can run for president and imposing presidential term limits -- two key demands of the popular uprising that pushed longtime president Hosni Mubarak from power. The eight-member panel also suggested limits on the use of emergency laws -- in place in Egypt for 30 years -- to a six-month period with the approval of an elected parliament, and beyond that period only if approved by a public referendum. Protests continued throughout the region over the weekend, with hundreds of thousands of demonstrators hitting the streets in several countries to demand long-awaited political reform. The sweeping changes to the Egyptian constitution must still be put to a popular referendum to take effect, but they appear to address many of the demands of protesters who led the 18-day popular uprising that forced Mubarak to step down on February 11. The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces has been running Egypt's affairs since then. The legal panel was appointed last week to suggest constitutional amendments that would pave the way for democratic elections later this year. The council has said the military wants to hand power over to a new government and elected president within six months. But the protest movement has been growing impatient, and tens of thousands rallied in Cairo's Tahrir Square throughout Friday to keep up the pressure on the military. In particular, protest leaders are demanding the dismissal of Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq, who was appointed by Mubarak. They are also calling for a more active civilian role in the decisions made by the council. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #1 Look how successful these term limits have been in South America. |
| Posted by: Bernardz 2011-02-27 04:42 |