Egypt's ruling generals will ratify within days a law barring anyone found guilty of corruption from political life a move to curb the influence of ousted President Hosni Mubarak's former allies, a senior minister said Monday.
Wealthy people in Egypt were often members of Mubarak's now-defunct National Democratic Party (NDP) and used their political connections to advance family and business interests.
Egyptians who rose up against Mubarak's three-decade rule in January worry that his associates, some of whom are facing trial for graft and abuse of power, could be re-elected to the new parliament.
Deputy Prime Minister Ali al-Selmy said the new law will prosecute officials found guilty of financial crimes and abuse of power.
Even those elected to parliament will not be immune, he said. Voting for the People's Assembly begins on 28 November.
"The cabinet and the military council have reached the final stages of ratifying the law," Selmy said. "The law will be passed within days."
But Judge Hesham al-Bastawisi said the decision could be too late to stop remnants of Mubarak's administration from regrouping for the upcoming polls.
Bastawisi and other analysts say former members of Mubarak's party could continue to influence politics through associates working in newly formed parties.
"The new parliament will undoubtedly have members of Mubarak's NDP but they will not say they belonged to the NDP and will be backed by big Mubarak-era politicians who will not run," he said.
The law was backed by the interim cabinet months ago but the military, which has the final say on new legislation, has not said when the law will come into force.
