Democracy is not the name of a majority or a minority, rather, it is the name of a system where everyone is heard.
LIVERPOOL, UK: Egypt has a long history of army rule and also had a democratic government under former president Muhammad Morsi for over a year. In some peoples’ view, Morsi’s removal was due to a well-staged plan. Whatever the reason for his removal, it was not a good sign for a newly-nourished democracy in Egypt.
Unlike some other oil-rich countries of the region, Egypt relies heavily on tourism as the main source of income. In addition, Egypt receives foreign aid from its allies. These are the two main income sources for the country, therefore, both of these factors play an important role in government formation and its running. People enjoy a greater freedom of exercising their legitimate rights under democratic rule. However, it normally takes time before citizens of a country become mature. Democratic values not only promote peoples’ rights of speech but also create tolerance in them. Democracy is not the name of a majority or a minority, rather, it is the name of a system where everyone is heard. We have witnessed immaturity, both from the elected government and the citizens of the country, in handling issues of bad governance and protesting against poor governance in Egypt.
Where is Egypt heading to today? A new rule or towards a puppet democracy where the Egyptian Army holds power behind the scenes? Mr Sissi is keeping his intentions unclear as to whether or not he wants to run for the presidential election. There are a number of reasons for that. Firstly, will the people be ready to accept him in uniform? He might also be doing so for fear of losing power even after he is elected as president without the uniform, since history might repeat itself. I feel that, at this point, Sissi will prefer to take a backseat and allow a government to form while he and his companions freely enjoy the power game.
Dr Humayun Bakht
Published in The Express Tribune, February 8th, 2014.
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