The New Face of Egypt?

It has been a difficult week for Egyptians, concluded by Mohammed Morsi being officially declared as their next President. However, the identity of the president and his future plans for the country seem to be irrelevant after the events of the past week.

For the first time in the country's history, Egyptians experienced true democratic elections. Indeed, one must admit, the last two candidates for the presidency were not what the revolutionaries had dreamed of, but this is Democracy and the country gets what the majority votes for. If the citizens don't like the result, it can be changed in the next elections.

To Western eyes, voting for Mohammed Morsi is tantamount to choosing Islam, but this is not necessarily true. Egyptians suffered for decades under the dictatorship of Hosni Mubarak – they are poor, unemployed and tired. The Muslim Brotherhood movement symbolizes the opposite of that mentality– they are socially active, they are ‘pure’ from corruption and they are considered to be non-violent and moderate.

The chaos started two days before the elections (June 14^th). The Egyptian Constitutional Supreme Court ordered the dissolution of the lower House of Parliament due to the illegality of its elections six months ago, as the Muslim Brotherhood candidates were elected for seats saved for Independent candidates.

A few days later the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF), which ruled the country after the fall of Mubarak, revealed that it will not hand over full authorities to the next president. President Morsi, therefore, will not be the supreme commander of the armed forces nor the police force. He will not have the authority to control the country’s budget nor to confirm appointment of the Constitutional Court’s new Head Judge. Furthermore, SCAF granted itself the right to dissolve and form another assembly if the parliament-appointed assembly fails to draft a constitution within six months of its formation.

Therefore, President Morsi might change the face of the cabinet, but has little other significance because all meaningful power remains in the hands of SCAF. Moreover, after the Supreme Court dissolved the parliament, Morsi lost his expected political advantage and must start from scratch. With no supportive parliament on his side, a hostile SCAF tying his hands and an angry movement at his back, he begins the first post-Mubarak presidency with high hopes and no tools to fulfill them.

For now, Egypt is celebrating its freedom of speech and democracy. The country is in transition and SCAF’s declaration, though it disturbingly bring to mind the dark days of Mubarak, is understandable due to the current situation in Egypt.

          SCAF, one should not forget, been considered the stabilizing factor in the country following the fall of Mubarak. Unlike other countries that were drawn into civil war after the fall of their dictator, SCAF safeguarded the country from deterioration until the implementation of the democratic elections. Indeed, as SCAF predicted that the choice between these two candidates would lead to enormous popular dissatisfaction; it must have felt the need to act. Is this action temporary or permanent? No one knows. Not even SCAF.

Sources: Egyptian press