In Egypt, President Hosni Mubarak has bowed to pressure and called on parliament to change the constitution to allow opposition candidates to run for president. In recent months Egypt has seen a series of rare protests calling for open elections. Under the current system, Egyptians vote for president every six years, choosing “yes” or “no” for a candidate approved by parliament. Mubarak has ruled since 1981 and will seek a fifth six-year term in September. If Parliament approves the political reform, Mubarak will face opposition for the first time. However one of the most powerful political outfits in Egypt–the Muslim Brotherhood–will be barred from seating a candidate. The Islamic organization remains outlawed in Egypt. One opposition leader hailed Mubarek’s announcement saying “For the first time since the days of the pharaohs, the Egyptian people will choose their ruler.” The U.S. State Department described the move as a step towards a “more open political system”.