Source: Al Jazeera Centre for Studies
Author(s): Wolfgang Mühlberger
Original Link: http://studies.aljazeera.net/en/reports/2016/02/2016216114532615382.html
Post the July 2013 coup: Tajdid an-Nidham a vs. the re-creation of the ‘pharaonic’ system
The transition phase in Egypt, which started in early 2011, was marked by efforts of the body politic and its various constituencies to redefine its relationship with the state. That is, redress the frail status of citizenship and achieve meaningful participation in the political decision-making process. Following the initial uprising against Mubarak, which left the military-backed authoritarian – regime untouched, a flurry of elections and referenda was supposed to achieve these political goals and ideals. The brief interlude of a Muslim Brotherhood controlled parliament and presidency added to existing political polarisation, eventually serving as a useful pretext to launch a fully-fledged ‘resotration’ restauration. (1)
The latest round of polling, part of an official “roadmap to democratisation”, as announced by then Minister of Defense Abdelfattah el-Sisi in July 2013 (2), led to the election of a new parliament, and was supposed to end the unchecked rule of the executive by introducing an independent legislative, free of presidential directives. However, instead of epitomizing political mobilization and of ushering in a new era of political pluralism…
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