And first thoughts from opposition figures re: Jordan's new government:
Mustafa Hamarneh says "Bakhit is a very conservative politician. Under his watch we had easily the worst parliamentary and municipal elections (in 2007). I don't think he is the kind of politician who will institute political change, the kind of change that the country needs badly now."
Dont know, couldn't find it, but did you see that Saleh in Yemen has announced he won't stand for re-election in 2013 or hand power to his son? And is having an emergency meeting ahead of "day of rage" protests there?
This is not going to be resolved quickly, and there is a technical problem I haven't heard mentioned before today.
From Fareed Zakaria: Under the Egyptian constitution, if Mubarak resigns, it immediately triggers a new election within 60 days. And in the midst of everything that is going on in Egypt, that is not the ideal solution.
So perhaps what he should do is announce that he's going to resign at a certain point -- but in the interim create a constitutional committee that can amend or rewrite the Egyptian constitution so that all elections, parliamentary or presidential, take place under new rules which will be free and fair, unlike the old rules that were completely stacked in favor of Mubarak and his party.
No. No one is going to accept Mubarak staying on until September. No one believes he can preside over the transition - and have it be a real transition. As my old professor Fouad Ajami said this morning, "Mubarak wouldn't know a free and fair election if he ran into one." Unfortunately, this is looking to be a long and protracted struggle to get Mubarak to leave.
But will the protestors except that?
Watch BBC world now and it seem Tahir square is still fulll....
I don't think they will !
they want him out now and they will not stop until he is...
I understood he will step down after the presidential elections in September and in the meantime will work to change the constitution ( limiting the number of years the president can stay in power) and work towards a peaceful transition. If this happens I think it will be the best for the country. He will have to go as he announced it on state TV. I think he wants to leave with what he sees as " dignity" while I have lost all respect for him and holding onto power as he is doing now shows has none at all.