Beyond the Bubble

Over the past two weeks Egyptians have waged ideological battles across their country, arguing amongst one another about the problems within their nation, and about the political leaders that continue to represent them.

On Jan. 25, following the precedent set by the Tunisian protests, Egyptians took to the streets en masse. This “Day of Anger” included demonstrators in cities across the country, growing the largest in Alexandria, Cairo, and Suez. Such actions have continued over the past 16 days.

Many of these protests have been anti-governmental in nature, with citizens demanding the immediate departure of the current president, Hosni Mubarak and the dissolution of his National Democratic Party (NDP).

Not all Egyptians are against the government, however, and Mubarak supporters have mounted counter-protests to try and keep their official in power. Such differing allegiances and beliefs have resulted in violent clashes, and have led to the deaths of approximately 300 people, according to Human Rights Watch.

While the anti-governmental protestors come from all walks of life, the BBC has reported that, “at the forefront (of the protests) have been young, tech-savvy Egyptians who have never known another ruler of their country.” These citizens have demanded that Mubarak end his 30-year dictatorial presence in their nation and dissolve his current regime.

While Egypt has long been thought of as a relatively stable state within a region embroiled in conflict, such an assumption has failed to recognize the institutional problems that have plagued the nation.

The NDP has maintained a thinly veiled democracy, progressively decreasing the legitimacy of elections and employing corrupt officials in top governmental posts.

Anger over such policies have been combined in recent times with high levels of poverty, increasing food prices and a large number of unemployed young people. Such an atmosphere has produced an environment on the brink of revolution.

While there is no single leader heading the political opposition, various prominent social figures and groups have come to the forefront in the past few days.

An Islamist political organization, the Muslim Brotherhood, has participated in the demonstrations and has sought a place within the future government.

While support for the Brotherhood is present in pockets all over Egypt, many domestic and foreign actors worry about the implications of the implementation of such a regime.

In a recent CNN analysis, commentators discussed the rationale behind the surge in the Islamic political movement in Egypt. They illustrated that under the Mubarak regime all forms of political opposition were suppressed, except for those sentiments that were shrouded underneath a veil of religious expression. The commentators noted that such government policies funneled political dissent through mosques around Egypt, creating a politically charged religious movement.

In recent days the leaders of the MB and other opposition party representatives have been in contact with the NDP, discussing the potential terms of a regime change. President Mubarak has stated that he will leave office when his term is finished in September.

In the coming weeks, the world will be watching to see whether Egyptians will accept this timeline, and whether peace can be restored after a new government is implemented.