Feminist writer and human rights activist Nawal el Sadaawi has announced she will run for president in Egypt’s September election. On February 26, President Hosni Mubarak announced that the country’s law would be amended to allow more than one candidate to contest the election, for the first time since 1952, and to remove the provision that candidates must be approved by a two-thirds majority of parliament before running. El Sadaawi is calling for an end to one-person rule; repeal of presidential political immunity; separation of religion and state; and a political and military struggle against US and Israeli imperialism. Her candidacy has caused considerable debate among Egypt’s Islamic clergy, over whether a woman should be able to be president. More information about el Sadaawi’s policies can be found at <http://www.memri.org/bin/latestnews.cgi?ID=SD87605>.

From Green Left Weekly, March 23, 2005.
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