By By John Leonard

Reliving her days travelling through Egypt, a professor shed light on a country with a tumultuous political system.

Stephanie Nanes, professor of political science, recently traveled to Egypt to study Arabic. Her overseas trip, however, also enhanced her understanding of the nation’s political situation.

She shared these experiences with students last week in the Student Center Theater.

At the urging of the United States’, the Egyptian parliament adopted an amendment that allows for multi-party elections in May.

Previously, voters could only vote “yes” or “no” to a single presidential candidate chosen by parliament.

Many, however, contend the change was nominal and the measure is actually being used to keep the ruling party in power.

“It [Egypt’s voting] is simply being masqueraded as democracy,” Nanes said.

Given the language of the amendment and the fact that the ruling party holds a majority in both houses of parliament, it is nearly impossible for an opposition party candidate to get on the ballot, Nanes explained.

With little hope of true opposition, many Egyptian political groups fear that President Hosni Mubarak, who has been in power for nearly 25 years, is grooming his son to assume the reins.

Leading up to Egypt’s controversial political reform was an incident where Egyptian police raided a political demonstration, prompting reprimands from democratic nations.

The U.S. recommended creation of an international board to oversee the nation’s upcoming election; however, once Egypt passed the new amendment, the U.S. tempered its criticism, and the proposed committee was never formed.

Nanes identified voter apathy as another roadblock on Egypt’s path to true democracy.

Less than 20 percent of registered voters cast ballots in the last election, many believing that their votes could not effect change amidst fraudulent vote-counting practices.

Nanes was not entirely critical of Egyptian politics, though.

“It’s authoritarian, not totalitarian,” she said. “This is not Sadaam Hussein’s Iraq.”

While the Egyptian government owns and operates many of the local TV stations, many Egyptians have satellite dishes with access to western networks.

Also, several newspapers highlighting opposition to the government circulate throughout the country.

Political rallies do take place, though activists are typically outnumbered by the police mobilized to watch over them.