We met several years ago at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, in the company of the distinguished scholar Ibrahim Badran. Hossam Badrawi struck me as a man of remarkable awareness, understanding, and candor. I remember that we spoke at length that day about education, and he held firm convictions that education must be at the forefront of the Egyptian state’s priorities.
I continue to follow Hossam Badrawi’s positions and intellectual contributions, particularly on issues of freedoms, the peaceful transfer of power, elections, parliament, and the hardships faced by Egyptian citizens as prices continue to rise.
What distinguishes Badrawi’s positions is the consistency of his convictions: that Egypt is a country rich in resources; that its young people represent an untapped national wealth; and that making proper use of its resources requires a measure of justice and wisdom. He has called for opening the door to a genuine party-based political life that allows meaningful public participation, and for a parliament that truly reflects the Egyptian street through competitive elections.
Badrawi has also addressed the issue of constitutional amendments, emphasizing that the Constitution possesses a special sanctity and should not be treated as something open to amendment.
Egypt faces challenges that can no longer be postponed: rising prices, education, debt, freedoms, and political participation through genuine political parties, as well as ensuring that the right person is placed in the right position.
The intellectual contributions of Hossam Badrawi deserve to open the door to dialogue on all these issues. He approaches them with the sensitivity of a physician and the mind of a politician. He has always been a voice of reason and wisdom, both in earlier eras and today, and he can bring greater transparency and balance to the public debate.
There is now a group of thoughtful minds on the scene, small though it may be, whose members believe that Egypt can overcome its crises if it succeeds in accurately identifying them and in choosing the right people with the capabilities needed to confront the challenges we face.
Hossam Badrawi is a wise physician and a voice of reason in politics. We should listen to him.
