Ashley Reynolds, Staff Writer
Just seven months after Egypt’s first free democratic election, protesters are calling for the complete resignation of President Mohammed Morsi and his officials.
Protesters are hurling bombs at Morsi’s palace and violence is erupting yet again in Egypt. Riots are starting up again, two years exactly since the Egyptian Revolution of 2011.
A brief recap of the events in Egypt over the past few years:
In 2011, millions of Egyptian revolutionaries took to the streets, staging widespread protests against police brutality and the corruption of the Egyptian government. Even though the President at the time, Hosni Mubarak, had been “elected,” these elections were set up in such a way that there was no way Mubarak could lose.
The oppressive nature of Mubarak’s regime sparked a fire in the people of Egypt. They were increasingly discontent with the censorship and “emergency laws” forced upon them by the government. Economic factors, such as low minimum wage and a through-the-roof unemployment rate, along with the rising price of food and other commodities, made it impossible for the poor to sustain themselves.
Things finally cracked in January of 2011. Riots, strikes, and demonstrations demanded that Mubarak and his government be completely dissolved, and fair elections be held. Many of these demonstrations were organized online. The people succeeded, and in June 2012, President Mohammed Morsi was elected to office.
So what happened?
Protesters had hoped Morsi would be a radical change from Mubarak, but now they’re claiming Morsi’s government is corrupt too.
The newly-written Constitution has failed to meet the demands of the people. The changes that Morsi promised- the changes that protesters demanded in the Revolution of 2011- have not come to fruition, and the people are furious.
Why does it matter?
Egypt’s revolution has inspired other such protests in the Middle East, including the famous Libyan Revolution that grasped the attention of the entire globe. The Middle East is in a state of unrest, and things are rapidly changing.
The people are demanding power. Political unrest is common in the Middle East at this moment in time, and how things turn out could change the political and economic stage at a global level.
The new governments and Constitutions are open to Western influence as well. Democracy is spreading, and it seems that the Middle East is no exception. Will other Western ideals spread as well? How will these new governments react to other nations, particularly the US? Will our international relations improve?
Let’s not forget about the main reason the US is interested in the Middle East: oil.
How things will turn out for the Egyptian people, and if Morsi will indeed retire, remains to be seen. Keep an eye on the Middle East. Either way, change is coming.
