With every come and go of a new president, Egypt’s citizens are left in the dark about what their lives will be like when the next leader stands up and takes the reigns. Each president that has taken over in the past has somehow drastically changed the lives of both the 90% Muslim and 10% Coptic community. During the 1980’s reign of Egypt’s President, Hosni Mubarak, Egypt’s citizens were given very limited rights in the ways of expression. Rights such as freedom of expression, association and assembly were in short supply, preventing citizens from expressing their true feelings of the government’s actions. Moreover, any criticism of the president found an immediate fine or threat of imprisonment, keeping the inhabitants of Egypt silent and submissive.
Under the newly ousted President Morsi, Egypt was seeing a drastic turn for the worst. The character of Egypt was diminishing and changing to fit the dream of Morsi, straying from its easygoing status when it comes to choice of religion. During elections, Morsi promised to create a more stable Egypt, claiming that the nation’s Constitution would be respected and the supreme law of the land. All this changed quickly once he was elected president. Morsi was able to annul several constitutional amendments to bestow himself with additional power and worked to create his own Constitution. During his reign, he was able to quickly turn a secular nation against each other, creating unrest in all the citizens of Egypt, both Muslim and Coptic alike. Acting as the “pharaoh” of Egypt, Morsi made sure that no one else had any power, including Egypt’s judiciary system, to take change his route.
After a year of protesting and wars, Egypt’s nation finally defended themselves and tried to regain their personality. Where will they go from here? Will Egypt’s next President bring the country further away from it’s identity or help regain and re-establish what was once a beautiful country?
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I do believe that Egypt can make their way back to a more neutral country. Until Morsi and the control of the Muslim Brotherhood, there was not much religious unrest between the two drastically different percentages of the Coptic and Muslim followings. Other nations in the region have struggles between Shiite and Sunni sects while Egypt hasn’t been known for that. It is evident as to why with the removal of Morsi who tried to impose more religious rule in the country proving Egyptian citizens’ desire to be secular. A new President in Egypt can bring stability as long as the elections are free and fair and not viewed as skeptical by the citizens as they were after the elections that put Morsi in power.
Also, the citizens must have a large role in the government and Constitution so they can prevent a Presidential abuse of power and lead Egypt into a more stable and prosperous future.