Hosni Mubarak will try to ride out this storm

Egypt’s president is facing the most serious challenge of his nearly 30 years in power Hosni Mubarak bowed to popular anger tonight by dismissing his government but gave no sign of relinquishing power in the face of the most serious domestic political challenge he has experienced in nearly 30 years. Mubarak’s move to dissolve the government seemed unlikely to defuse the protests across Egypt, and echoed moves made in Tunisia this month before its president was forced to flee into exile. In a 10-minute TV address, at the end of a turbulent and violent day he said a new government would be formed to tackle unemployment and promote democracy, though he gave no indication that he was in any way at fault. “I will give them new duties to deal with the situation,” the president pledged, insisting he was familiar with the grievances and suffering of ordinary Egyptians, especially the poor. “I regret the innocent victims on both sides.” Mubarak also failed to give any sign that he was considering calling new parliamentary elections or opening up the presidential race later this year to a wider range of candidates – let alone declaring that he would not stand again. Nor did he signal an end to emergency laws – another core opposition demand. The portrayal of himself as an honest reformer let down by his own ministers did not look convincing. As soon as he finished speaking, people surged into the streets in Cairo in defiance of a night-time curfew and again demanded he step down. Analysts suggested his announcement will only whet appetites for much more radical change – as happened after Tunisia’s president, Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali, sacked his interior minister, only to flee the country a few days later. Still, any changes at the top will be keenly watched in Cairo. An obvious candidate for replacement is loyalist Habib al-Adly, the interior minister who is in overall charge of the police and central security forces which have been involved in suppressing the unrest of the last four days. Tonight’s deployment of the army suggested that it is fully behind the dismissal of the government. Mubarak, commander of the air force before becoming president in 1981, is still surrounded by trusted generals, including Omar Suleiman, his veteran intelligence chief and éminence grise, and Mohamed Hussein Tantawi, the defence minister and chief of staff. Mubarak’s emphasis was on economic concessions that are likely to include maintaining subsidies to keep prices down, raising the minimum wage, or measures to reduce unemployment. But these are unlikely to appease the popular appetite for change. Political reform will be necessary if the regime is to survive. Egypt-watchers had already predicted that Mubarak’s instinct would be to try to weather the crisis. This is a man, after all, who came to power after his predecessor was assassinated, and who oversaw a successful campaign against jihadi militants in the 1990s. Tonight’s address showed he is trying to buy time – but he may have succeeded only in showing weakness. Egypt Middle East Ian Black guardian.co.uk

Posted by on January 28, 2011. Filed under News, Politics, World News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry