CAIRO – Egypt's leading democracy advocate made a forceful call Monday for the nation to boycott November's parliamentary election, saying they were certain to be rigged and urging his young supporters to be patient and plan for a lengthy struggle. Nobel laureate Mohammed ElBaradei told about 200 activists gathered a sunset Ramadan meal that participating in the vote would go against "the national will" to transform Egypt into a genuine democracy. "If the whole people boycott the elections totally, it will be in my view, a great leap towards change," he told reporters afterward. Egypt's opposition groups are divided over the issue of a boycott and it is not clear how many would heed a call not to contest or vote in the election. The largest opposition force, Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood, for example, is unlikely to boycott, although it backs ElBaradei and his demands for change. ElBaradei, who served as the chief of the UN nuclear agency, returned home in February to a hero's welcome. Supporters have rallied behind him to press for democratic reforms and urged him to run in the 2011 presidential election. ElBaradei, whose campaign has provoked government anger, said he would only run if there were constitutional changes and guarantees of free elections. In six months, his campaign has gathered around 800,000 signatures on a petition calling for such changes - a force that seems to have encouraged ElBaradei to attack the government more forcefully. Until Egypt's political system opens up, it would be wrong to legitimise it by participating in elections, he said. By pressing from the outside, the regime is more likely to give way, he said. ElBaradei claimed the ruling party has failed to govern Egypt, bringing only rising poverty, illiteracy and disregarding human rights.
