Egypt's revolution all over if vote held early: ElBaradei
AFP, Sunday 20 Feb 2011


All the gains of Egypt's revolution will be lost if elections are held too soon because supporters of ousted president Hosni Mubarak will get back in power, opposition leader Mohamed ElBaradei warned Sunday.

"If we go too fast, if we organise elections in four or five months, it will be all over for the revolution, the old regime will perpetuate itself in another guise," the Nobel Peace Prize laureate told the Turkish daily Milliyet.

"Mubarak's party will make a comeback under a new banner. These people already have everything, money, the media.... Move too fast towards elections will mean allowing the old regime to get back into power with a new face," he said.

ElBaradei envisaged the creation of a presidential council composed of two civilians and one military member to manage a transition phase, which would include forming a constituent assembly, a referendum on a new constitution and the strengthening of political parties before elections.

He said polls should not be held until at least a year from now.

https://english.ahram.org.eg/News/5992.aspx