A new year, a new government; but how much has really changed? Fatemah Farag takes a guess "People had been awaiting change long overdue. They said perhaps the government and its party have understood the message made by the last [parliamentary] elections and realised that the street requires change... But what misery, everything has come to naught," lamented Mustafa Bakri in this week's front page article of Al-Osbou. "After the names [of the new ministers] were published, public opinion in Egypt was shaken and it became clear to everyone that the [government's] intention is to push the process of privatisation to its absolute limit." The new government and its formation has monopolised the attention of many of those writing in this week's press -- for both better and worse. "As has become the norm in all the decisions made in Egypt of late, the formation of the new government was characterised by shakiness," which is, argues Diaa Rashwan in Al-Masry Al-Yom on 2 January, "evidence of the unprecedented deterioration of the Egyptian political system. We are witnessing a regime ridden with chronic illness -- those that usually come before death." Rashwan complains that the choice of new ministers is based on criteria unknown to the Egyptian people in their entirety. He then goes on to tear the final choices to pieces saying, "the president, his government and his party decided to choose, at the moment of political transformation in the country's modern history, nearly all its new ministers devoid of any political experience." But Makram Mohamed Ahmed in Al-Ahram on 3 January argues, "it does not detract from the new government that it includes a large number of businessmen who may use their experience to shake up routine and create a new spirit in the state bureaucracy. This is as long as they keep their eyes open on the importance of the social dimension as it is not with the laws of the market alone that a poor society can protect its unity." In any case you would be hard pressed to find anyone lamenting the loss of former ministers Kamal El-Shazli and Ibrahim Suleiman. Mohsen Mohamed in Al-Wafd on 2 January pointed out, "this is the first time in Egypt's political history that people have been so happy with a ministerial change." He goes on to explain that this happiness was not in "welcoming the new ministers". "I do not want to shock them; they are after all personalities I think will improve government performance. Rather it was an expression of happiness regarding those who left the ministries. Drums were beaten and congratulations were exchanged." According to Galal Dweidar in Al-Akhbar on 3 January, "for this government to gain the trust of the people and recapture for the National Democratic Party (NDP) its presence on the political street after the legislative elections, it is required to quickly intervene and find solutions for a number of problems at the forefront of which is unemployment." But Mohamed Mustafa Shurdi in Al-Wafd on 29 December argues for the need of comprehensive reform. "Change is on its way either as a result of internal or external pressure," Shurdi predicts. "And it is better for it to come about as a result of domestic pressure and in answer to a request by the people. This is the core of the issue. We want the new government to be truly convinced not just of the need for change but that this is the only correct way for Egypt today." Yehya El-Gamal in Al-Masry Al-Yom on 2 January also argues that constitutional and legal reform are the pre-requisites after which comprehensive political reform can be envisaged. He wonders, "will the regime realise that it will save itself and Egypt if it undertakes these reforms?" All of which must remind us of the plight of one-time presidential candidate Ayman Nour. In Al-Arabi this week Abdel-Khaleq Farouk blames the president for Nour's incarceration. "This president, who has taken these petty measures against Ayman Nour, should not be asked to pardon Nour but I will go as far as to say that this is exactly what Mubarak and his miracle 'Gamal' are waiting for. "Do not ask the murderer for a pardon. Please. Demand justice for Ayman Nour."
