Egypt eyes reform for fall election

By Tanalee Smith
ASSOCIATED PRESS

CAIRO — Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, in a surprise reversal, yesterday took a significant step toward democratic reform in the world's most populous Arab country by ordering that presidential challengers be allowed on the ballot this fall.

The opposition long had demanded an open election, but Egypt's ruling party repeatedly had rejected it.

The Egyptian president, who has held power since 1981 without facing an election opponent, only last month dismissed calls for reform as "futile."

More ...