CAIRO, Egypt - Egypt's long-serving president asked parliament Sunday to amend an article of the constitution that critics say was tailored to allow his son to succeed him.

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak's son, Gamal Mubarak attends a midnight mass at the Coptic Orthodox Church, marking the Egyptian Christmas which falls on Friday in Egypt's Coptic Christian calendar, late Thursday, Jan. 6, 2005. Egypt is a majority Muslim country, where Copts represent around 10 perc ent of the 70 million population. Egypt's long-serving president asked parliament Sunday, Nov. 19, 2006 to amend a constitution article criticized as being tailored to allow his son to succeed him. [AP]

President Hosni Mubarak told parliament the article should be changed to make it easier for candidates from registered political parties to run for president. He did not provide details.

Mubarak, 78, also dismissed speculation that he would step down before his term ends in 2011. He has been in power since 1981.

"I will carry on with you, crossing to the future, shouldering the responsibility, as long as my heart is beating and I'm breathing," Mubarak told parliament in a speech marking the beginning of the new session.

The opposition claims the article, which was rewritten last year to permit Egypt's first multi-candidate presidential election, opens the way for Gamal Mubarak, the president's youngest son, to become Egypt's next leader by making it impossible for anyone to compete against the ruling party in the 2011 election.

The article requires that independent candidates obtain 250 recommendations from members of parliament or city councils to be eligible to run. Those offices are overwhelmingly held by members of Mubarak's ruling National Democratic Party, or NDP.

The article also stipulates that only political parties representing at least 5 percent of parliament can put forward a presidential candidate - a requirement no political party achieved in last year's legislative elections.

Egypt's largest Islamist group, the Muslim Brotherhood, which holds nearly 20 per cent of parliament, is officially banned. Its lawmakers ran as independents.

Egypt's opposition said the NDP's previous refusal to amend the article demonstrated that it was clearing the way for 42-year-old Gamal Mubarak, who has risen rapidly in the party in recent years and is now deputy secretary general. Hosni Mubarak denies his son is being groomed to replace him.

The United States has called greater democracy in the Middle East a top priority, and at one time wanted its ally Egypt to be the centerpiece of reform. But critics say President Bush has recently backed off pressuring Cairo as concerns have escalated over the war in Iraq and Iran's nuclear ambitions.

In his speech, Mubarak said the upcoming parliament session would witness "the biggest and widest range of constitutional amendments since 1980." He said changes would also highlight Egypt's commitment to free market policies and social justice.

But political analysts say Mubarak's speech adds little to his earlier statements.

"People don't expect anything new or serious from this government or this party, and there is nothing new or serious from them. The only serious things are coming from the opposition forces - Islamists, secularists and the judiciary," said Osama el-Ghazali Harb, a former NDP member and political scientist.

Another political expert, Diaa Rashwan, said the speech was similar to Mubarak's platform ahead of the September 2005 elections.

"It was as though he hadn't heard people's objections to it," he said.