General

Mubarak won’t run for re-election

Egyptian president announces he will step aside in September

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak announced on Tuesday he would not run again in the upcoming September elections. Reacting to the protests that have rocked Cairo and other Egyptian cities over the past seven days, Mubarak said his main priority was to re-establish and keep the peace in Egypt. He then called upon Egypt’s parliament to amend Article 67 of the constitution to impose term limits on the presidency. “I never asked to be president,” said Mubarak.

U.S. Presdient Barack Obama reportedly advised Mubarak to withdraw from upcoming elections to usher a smooth transition to democracy. Observers worry that Mubarak’s immediate resignation and the collapse of the government would plunge Egypt into further chaos. But protesters have called for Mubarak’s immediate resignation, and have vowed to continue the disruptive demonstrations until he does so.

BBC News

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