Friday, March 04, 2011

Inside Story - What Now for Egypt?

The resignation of Egypt's prime minister, Ahmed Shafiq, has seen the country take another step towards ridding itself of the old Hosni Mubarak regime. Shafiq was appointed by Mubarak, the former Egyptian president, just days into the momentous protests that led to his own fall from power. But Egypt's pro-democracy campaigners demanded that the prime minister follow the president. Shafiq has been replaced by Essam Sharaf, a former transport minister who took part in the protests. Despite this latest development, hundreds of demonstrators are continuing to gather in Tahrir Square, demanding further change. Key among their demands are the removal of the country's 30-year-old emergency law that allows people to be arrested and held without charge, the dissolution of the State Security Investigation Bureau and the immediate release of all political prisoners. So, just what is next for Egypt's revolution?