Polling stations opened in Egypt today for a national referendum on whether to introduce direct presidential elections with more than one candidate.
State-owned media urged Egyptians to take part but opposition groups opposed to the tough conditions for presidential candidates appealed for a boycott. The groups say the move is only peacemeal and will lead to no real change.
The vote is on a constitutional amendment abolishing the old system of referendums on a single candidate chosen by parliament, which is dominated by President Hosni Mubarak's ruling National Democratic Party (NDP).
At a polling station for women in the upper-class Cairo quarter of Zamalek, NDP official May Hussein said she had voted in favour of the amendment.
"It's a new era towards democracy. It's a big change," she said at the station, where she was the only visible voter.
Mr Mubarak is expected to seek a fifth six-year term in elections in September but he has not said he will stand. The conditions make it impossible for any independents to challenge Mr Mubarak without NDP approval.
Recognised political parties can field candidates this year but, after decades of exclusion from the state media, their leaders are little known. The newspaper of the opposition Wafd Party ran a black front page with the words "Today is a day of mourning: Boycott the Referendum on the 76 disaster".
The referendum changes Article 76 of the Egyptian constitution. More than 30 million Egyptians are entitled to vote but the turnout in previous referendums has been very low.