Electoral Reform
Between 2005 and 2007 a number of progressive reforms were proposed into the electoral system by the government of Egypt, and subsequently ratified by the Egyptian Parliament and by popular referendums. In 2005 these reforms laid the groundwork for the first direct multi-candidate Presidential elections, replacing the previous system of presidential referendums.
In that election, President Hosni Mubarak ran against nine other candidates in a process that was marked by unprecedented levels of open political discourse and competition. On the elections, a number of democracy and human rights observers are on record for praising the Egyptian people's willingness to speak out while recognizing that this willingness has generated a serious public debate instead of just another presidential plebiscite. A spokesman for the U.S. State Department called the elections "a historic departure for Egypt" and added that "it's safe to say that Egyptians have not seen a presidential election like the one they have just seen in their lifetimes."
The reforms introduced to the electoral system in 2005 and 2007 included:
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Diversifying the field of candidates and bringing more political parties into the election process by allowing parties to put forward a candidate, as long as they have five percent representation in Parliament, and as an exception for any presidential elections between 2007 and 2017 any party with one elected seat in Parliament may nominate a president. Under the current composition of Parliament, five parties qualify to nominate a president.
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Reforming the High Elections Commission by expanding its mandate to supervise the whole electoral process from candidate registration to ballot counting and results announcement, and by excluding representatives of the executive branch, and reinforcing the role of the Judiciary by increasing the number of judges.
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Under the new law, Egyptian civil society representatives and candidates were authorized to have representatives observe the vote.
Government Oversight Reform
On December 26, 2006, President Mubarak asked the Parliament to enact reforms to guarantee public freedoms, the rule of law and equality based on the principle of citizenship. These reforms ensured a separation of powers between the legislative and the executive branches of the government and strengthened Parliament's role in overseeing government activities.
The broad objectives of these reforms envisage:
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To enhance the role of the Parliament, by allowances to introduce budgetary amendments, identify state budget priorities, approve the government's budget and withdraw confidence from the government without resorting to a referendum.
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To enhance the role of political parties, by introducing a new legislation and a better management of the electoral process ensuring its fairness, credibility and transparency.
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To emphasize the principle of equal citizenship rights, regardless of race, religion, or gender, by introducing a constitutional ban on the creation of ethnic or religious based political parties.
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To stress the notion of the electorate, as the source of all authority by balancing the relationship between the executive and the legislative branches.
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To uphold the independence of the judiciary, through the abolishment of the Supreme Judicial Authorities Council, the Public Socialist Prosecutor and the Court of Values.
Press Freedom
In 2004, the Egyptian government established a Media Free Zone - an area in Giza where broadcast companies enjoy tax incentives if their production is centered there. This reform has been key in opening the Egyptian broadcast media to private investment and independent thought. The private sector now owns more than 50 percent of the satellite and broadcast channels based in the Media Free Zone.
News publications increased in Egypt from 27 in 1982 to more than 512 newspapers, journals, magazines and periodicals today. Over half of Egypt's newspapers are privately owned, including 17 newspapers published by churches and Christian groups. Independent newspapers sell an estimated 200,000 copies daily, according to the Oxford Business Group.
Egyptians have access to more than 260 free-to-air satellite TV channels, broadcast from around the world. There are more than 32 TV channels broadcast from Egypt.
The government subsidizes internet access which is free of cost for dial-up use, while ADSL service can be obtained for a government-fixed rate of approximately $8/month. There are currently over 160 internet service providers (ISPs) in Egypt, and internet subscribers grew from 75,000 in 1998 to over 5 million in 2008. The number of blogs has exceeded 30,000.