But President Hosni Mubarak and the ruling National Democratic Party have been stonewalling since the mid-1980's. What makes the demands for reform more pressing this time are ominous developments in Egypt, the region, and in the wider world.
这个要求早已不再新鲜，但从20世纪80年代中起就遭到胡斯尼·穆巴拉克总统和执政的民族民主党的重重阻挠。使这次改革呼声更为迫切的是埃及目前的困难状态，以及在地区和国际事务中的险恶环境。