It is not unusual for countries to have “rubber-stamp” parliaments, but they don’t usually make it as obvious as Egypt does. I recently posted a roundup on Egypt’s ruff-up of the opposition in the recent referendum meant to endorse a change to the election law which would superficially allow for open elections while in reality guaranteeing continued dominence of the ruling party. If you missed it and haven’t followed events in Egypt lately, you might want to read that for background.

Yet now evidence has appeared which shows that the ruling party of President Hosni Mubarak, the National Democratic Party, is simply writing up the laws and then giving them to parliament to pass. Check out this copy of “Amendment to Article 76 of the Constitution”. You will notice that at the top it contains this letterhead: “National Democratic Party – General Secretariat Policy Committee.” You would think they would not want to pass this around. (Hat tip: The Arabist Network)

Contributed by Kirk H. Sowell of Window on the Arab World, and More!