The title of this post is a summary of a US State Department statement regarding the role President Mohammed Morsi now faces with a new Constitution and reinstated upper house of Parliament.
Morsi will have to begin within in his own cabinet--several advisors and participants within his administration resigned within the last month since he awarded himself sweeping powers that led to national demonstrations. The self-awarded powers are now revoked with the passing of the new Constitution, with legislative powers now passing from himself to the reinstated Shura Council (see video clip from Al Jazeera)...
Though roughly 64% of those voting for the Constitution were in favor, the fact remains that very few of the population were willing to vote. Estimates of 32-33% of the eligible voters voted on a Constitution that now governs 100% of the population. Why such low turnout? There are several possible factors:
President Morsi will have to attempt to bridge the gaps with "the opposition" under the umbrella of the National Salvation front. President Morsi is requesting another national dialogue--the former one on the eve of the second round of Constitution voting--and the NSF should make an attempt to be at the table. Appointed leader of the NSF during the demonstrations was Mohamed El-Baradei who has said that the now passed Constitution should be viewed as an interim document and that future effort should be placed upon eventually adopting a new Constitution built upon greater consensus. Of course, President Morsi, the Muslim Brotherhood, and the other Islamist groups will not see it this way, but the NSF has to start demonstrating a willingness to be a serious, democratic political player and not just advocating revolution in the streets if they want to be taken seriously internationally. There are not likely to be many bridges built between the two groups--but there are greater opportunities to build bridges in dialogue than through demonstration, and this will also set an important example for a future that settles things reasonably rather than with rocks.
President Morsi may also have to attempt to bridge gaps with other Islamist groups. Now that the Constitution is passed, the "battle" for Parliament seats will soon begin. President Morsi will need to not look like "the enemy" of to these groups as they challenge the Freedom and Justice Party (Muslim Brotherhood) for majority of seats in the new Parliament. At this point, there is some discussion among the Islamist parties, including FJP, to running together to thwart the National Salvation Front's preparation for Parliament elections.
President Morsi will need to bridge the gaps with the international leaders. Egypt's economy is in need of support, and that seemed to dwindle over the past several months while he gave himself power and allowed the Constitution to be quickly drafted and then passed. Germany had made a statement that they would be hesitant to provide financial support, but encouraged Morsi to visit in the future; this report says that Morsi will visit Germany in January.
Meanwhile, while Morsi and his administration attempt to bridge all these gaps, there is a country full of people facing garbage, traffic, pollution, and a host of other problems. Taxes that were set to increase during the past month of protest, and then were lifted at the "eleventh hour", are rumored to be increased soon. Though the increased taxes are prepared to increase revenue, will the revenue be applied appropriately and strategically to decrease these problems? If taxes do go up, and no changes are seen in the daily life of the majority of Egyptians who did not vote for the Constitution, bridging political gaps will be the least of President Morsi's concerns.
Morsi will have to begin within in his own cabinet--several advisors and participants within his administration resigned within the last month since he awarded himself sweeping powers that led to national demonstrations. The self-awarded powers are now revoked with the passing of the new Constitution, with legislative powers now passing from himself to the reinstated Shura Council (see video clip from Al Jazeera)...
Though roughly 64% of those voting for the Constitution were in favor, the fact remains that very few of the population were willing to vote. Estimates of 32-33% of the eligible voters voted on a Constitution that now governs 100% of the population. Why such low turnout? There are several possible factors:
- Though the opposition coalition eventually encouraged those demonstrating to vote "no", many opposition groups had been planning to boycott the referendum as a statement of its illegitimacy.
- There was doubt in the legitimacy of the voting process: democracy is still a new concept and many have not fully believed in its merits, while others doubt that the process is free from fraud and corruption. There were dozens of reports of fraud and corruption rumored and tweeted throughout the days of voting, from people impersonating judges overseeing polling places, to Christians being prevented from voting in polling stations, to Christians being prevented from leaving their homes, to harassment in voting lines, to names not appearing on eligible voter lists, and even to one case of a man filling out many ballots and then biting the police officer who attempted to arrest him! (The elections commission received, investigated and ruled on dozens of complaints and irregularities before announcing the results.)
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| A line of voters in the Constitution referendum (photo by Namir Galal, on Egypt Independent) |
- The process does not favor the elderly or disabled: long lines and longer waits made it difficult for many elderly voters to even make the attempt; polling places are not necessarily handicap-friendly, which was a problem reported in the Presidential and Parliamentary phases--with so little that has changed since those elections, many handicap voters perhaps gave up. Additionally, there were legitimate safety concerns; with reports of violence or clashes between voters, near voters, and even against voters in line, some did not want to risk physical harm;
- And, there are several who are simply sick of the politics, the debates, the demonstrations--they're tired of nothing changing and have given up. Blogger and activist Mahmoud Salem (aka, Sandmonkey), presents this point in describing Mohamed in a recent post (i cannot say whether or not Mohamed is real, based on reality, or fiction): "Mohamed was one of those 68% that didn’t go vote. He is a government employee by day, and a Taxi driver by night, who spends every waking minute of his day trying to provide for his wife, 3 children and sick mother. Mohamed didn’t vote. Mohamed didn’t vote because he didn’t think it mattered, and that no matter what he chooses the outcome will be Yes anyway. Mohamed didn’t vote, because like all of his friends and neighbors, he has become disgusted with the tug of war between the secularists and the Islamists, and how all they care about is power, even if it means pulling the country into a civil war. Mohamed didn’t vote because he knows that neither side cares about him or his family, despite what they always say in their speeches, before and after the revolution. Mohamed didn’t vote because all the hope he had at the beginning of the revolution was gone, replaced with bitterness and anger, and he would rather spend the time scouring the streets of Cairo for a fare that might help him cover his ever increasing expenses. What good is a constitution to a bunch of hungry mouths anyway?"
President Morsi will have to attempt to bridge the gaps with "the opposition" under the umbrella of the National Salvation front. President Morsi is requesting another national dialogue--the former one on the eve of the second round of Constitution voting--and the NSF should make an attempt to be at the table. Appointed leader of the NSF during the demonstrations was Mohamed El-Baradei who has said that the now passed Constitution should be viewed as an interim document and that future effort should be placed upon eventually adopting a new Constitution built upon greater consensus. Of course, President Morsi, the Muslim Brotherhood, and the other Islamist groups will not see it this way, but the NSF has to start demonstrating a willingness to be a serious, democratic political player and not just advocating revolution in the streets if they want to be taken seriously internationally. There are not likely to be many bridges built between the two groups--but there are greater opportunities to build bridges in dialogue than through demonstration, and this will also set an important example for a future that settles things reasonably rather than with rocks.
President Morsi may also have to attempt to bridge gaps with other Islamist groups. Now that the Constitution is passed, the "battle" for Parliament seats will soon begin. President Morsi will need to not look like "the enemy" of to these groups as they challenge the Freedom and Justice Party (Muslim Brotherhood) for majority of seats in the new Parliament. At this point, there is some discussion among the Islamist parties, including FJP, to running together to thwart the National Salvation Front's preparation for Parliament elections.
President Morsi will need to bridge the gaps with the international leaders. Egypt's economy is in need of support, and that seemed to dwindle over the past several months while he gave himself power and allowed the Constitution to be quickly drafted and then passed. Germany had made a statement that they would be hesitant to provide financial support, but encouraged Morsi to visit in the future; this report says that Morsi will visit Germany in January.
Meanwhile, while Morsi and his administration attempt to bridge all these gaps, there is a country full of people facing garbage, traffic, pollution, and a host of other problems. Taxes that were set to increase during the past month of protest, and then were lifted at the "eleventh hour", are rumored to be increased soon. Though the increased taxes are prepared to increase revenue, will the revenue be applied appropriately and strategically to decrease these problems? If taxes do go up, and no changes are seen in the daily life of the majority of Egyptians who did not vote for the Constitution, bridging political gaps will be the least of President Morsi's concerns.
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