On the Road to Democracy

Traditionally, Egyptian elections have had one outcome: a sweep for the government party. For President Hosni Mubarak, there was something particularly sweet about victory last week.

As his countrymen participated in their freest parliamentary elections in more than 30 years, Mubarak's National Democratic Party took 73% of the vote, winning 390 of 448 elected seats. The Wafd, a 65-year-old party that was banned under Gamal Abdel Nasser in 1953, re-emerged five months ago as the New Wafd party. It obtained 58 seats, more than any other opposition group has held in three decades. Said New Wafd Assistant Secretary General Noman Gomaa: "We are happy not because of the seats we have gained, but because we have made the country feel that we exist."

Mubarak's aim in holding free elections was not only to legitimize the government he inherited after Anwar Sadat was assassinated in 1981 . The existence of a genuine opposition enables him to spread responsibility for difficult policy measures, including much needed economic reforms. Mubarak also wanted to prove that Egyptians are as capable of holding democratic elections as their neighbors, the Israelis, who go to the polls next month.