Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak on Wednesday pledged transparency in Egypt's parliamentary poll scheduled for 28 November. “I reiterate the desire, of myself and my party, for free, transparent elections, conducted under the oversight of the High Elections Commission and civil society," Mubarak told members of a ruling National Democratic Party (NDP) at a conference. Mubarak also lauded his party's “honorable record.” Opposition groups and human rights organizations contend the electoral process, thus far, has been plagued by irregularities. The Forum of Human Rights NGOs, which brought together 16 Egyptian rights groups on Tuesday, concluded that severe restrictions imposed by authorities are likely to result in election fraud. Analysts believe the ruling NDP is planning to secure a landslide victory in preparation for the 2011 presidential race, where president Mubarak will vie for a sixth consecutive term. In his speech, Mubarak vowed to alleviate the suffering of the poor and unemployed. He also promised to confront corruption and increase market regulation. The NDP platform for the next five years focuses on “more jobs, better incomes and less corruption”, as well as "controlling inflation and prices for the sake of the poor and the underprivileged,” he added. Forty-five percent of Egyptians live around or below the poverty line. Moreover, the country has seen riots in the past few years over unprecedented hikes in food prices, as well as a wave labor unrest since 2007, which has included up to 2000 worker strikes, say analysts.
