Eighty-two percent of Al-Masry Al-Youm's online readers support barring elements linked to the previously-ruling National Democratic Party (NDP) from political activity, according to a new poll that ended Monday night. Of the 3151 online readers taking part in the poll, 82 percent support legislation to strip former NDP members of all of their political rights, including being nominated for office and voting. On the other hand, 664 readers object to the idea. One percent say they are not concerned with the issue. One reader, Kamal Hedaya, says former NDP members should be excluded only from the political, not the public, scene. On 4 October, the Egyptian government announced a draft of amendments to the 1952 Treachery Law, which would deny figures affiliated with the old regime of their political rights for five years, in addition to removing them from their current posts. The move followed earlier changes made to the law in July, which the government approved in response to rising demands from political groups who feared former NDP members would infiltrate the next parliament, to be elected in late November. Many are dubious of the current interim government's intentions concerning the application of the Treachery Law, especially since most of its recent amendments have been approved under political pressure. The Treachery Law stipulates the removal of figures convicted of corruption in their posts and the denial of their membershipin the parliament and local councils. The law also denies those convicted from leading public posts and holding membership in political parties for five years. Legal experts believe that the proposed law, if applied, will result in the removal of Prime Minister Essam Sharaf, a former NDP member. Translated from the Arabic Edition
