The Rise and Fall of Mursi’s Presidency: A Contested Legacy
Mohamed Mursi was the 5th president of Egypt, serving from 2012 to 2013. He was the first democratically elected president of Egypt, and the first president to come from the Muslim Brotherhood. Mursi was overthrown by a military coup in July 2013.
From Engineer to President
Mursi was born in 1951 in the Nile Delta city of Zagazig. He studied engineering at Cairo University and then earned a master's degree in engineering from the University of Southern California. Mursi returned to Egypt and worked as an engineer before becoming involved in politics. In the early 1990s, Mursi joined the Muslim Brotherhood, a Islamic movement. He quickly rose through the ranks of the Brotherhood and became a leading figure in the movement. In 2005, Mursi was elected to parliament. He served in parliament until 2012, when he was elected president.
Mursi's presidency was marked by controversy. He was accused of being too close to the Muslim Brotherhood and of not doing enough to address the needs of the Egyptian people. In July 2013, Mursi was overthrown by a military coup led by General Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. Mursi has been in prison since the coup.
Mursi's presidency was a short one, but it was a period of great change and upheaval in Egypt. Mursi's overthrow was a major setback for democracy in Egypt, and the country remains deeply divided today.
His government was criticized by a wide range of Egyptians, including liberals, secularists, and even some members of his own Muslim Brotherhood movement. Some of the criticisms of Mursi government were that it was dominated by the Muslim Brotherhood and failed to govern inclusively or address the economic and social problems of Egypt. It also issued a constitutional declaration that granted Mursi sweeping powers and immunity from judicial oversight. It pushed for a controversial constitution that was seen by many as undermining human rights, especially for women and minorities. It mishandled the security situation and allowed radical Islamist groups to operate with impunity. It cracked down on dissent and media freedom, and faced accusations of corruption and nepotism.
It is important to note that these criticisms are not universally accepted. Some people believe that Mursi was a legitimate president who was unfairly overthrown by the military. Others believe that he made some mistakes, but that he was ultimately trying to do what was best for Egypt. Mursi was a member of the Muslim Brotherhood, which advocated for a civil state based on Islamic principles and sharia law. Mursi’s constitutional declaration and constitution draft were criticized for giving more power to Islamic scholars and institutions to interpret and apply sharia law. His supporters argued that sharia law was compatible with democracy, human rights, and pluralism, and that it reflected the will of the majority of Egyptians. Mursi’s opponents accused him of imposing a narrow and rigid version of sharia law that favored the Muslim Brotherhood and ignored the rights and views of other groups, such as Christians, women, liberals, and secularists.
Sisi’s Coup: How It Happened and What It Means for Egypt
General Abdel Fattah el-Sisi overthrew Mohamed Mursi in a military coup on July 3, 2013. Sisi overthrew Mursi by leading a coalition of the Egyptian army, the police, the judiciary, and some opposition groups that staged a coup against him on July 3, 2013. Sisi was the commander-in-chief of the armed forces and the minister of defense under Mursi’s presidency. He responded to the mass protests that erupted in June 2013 against Mursi’s rule, which accused him of authoritarianism, economic mismanagement, and Islamist agenda.
Sisi issued an ultimatum to Mursi to resolve the crisis within 48 hours or face military intervention. He announced the removal of Mursi from power and the suspension of the constitution on national television, and appointed Adly Mansour as the interim president. He claimed that he acted to save Egypt from civil war and terrorism, and that he had the support of al-Azhar, the Coptic Church, and some political parties.
Sisi later became the president of Egypt after winning the 2014 election with 96.9% of the vote. He has since consolidated his power and cracked down on dissent and opposition, especially the Muslim Brotherhood and its supporters. He has also faced challenges from militant groups in Sinai and neighboring countries.
Sisi's coup has had a devastating impact on Egypt. The country is now deeply divided, and the economy is in shambles. The coup has also damaged Egypt's reputation on the world stage, and it has made it more difficult for the country to attract foreign investment.
The coup is a major setback for democracy in Egypt. It has shown that the military is still the most powerful force in the country, and it has made it more difficult for Egyptians to achieve their aspirations for a free and democratic society.
There are a few reasons why Al-Azhar supported Sisi, even though Mursi was also pro-Islamic and pro-sharia.
Al-Azhar is a state-controlled institution : This means that it is ultimately answerable to the Egyptian government, and it is therefore in the institution's best interests to support the government in power.
Al-Azhar is concerned about the rise of extremism in Egypt : The Muslim Brotherhood is a conservative Islamic movement, and some of its members have been accused of supporting extremism. Al-Azhar may have believed that Sisi was better placed to deal with the threat of extremism than Mursi.
Al-Azhar may have been motivated by a desire to protect its own interests : Sisi has promised to increase funding for Al-Azhar, and he has also pledged to uphold the institution's religious authority. Al-Azhar may have seen Sisi as a more reliable ally than Mursi.
It is important to note that not everyone at Al-Azhar supported Sisi. Some members of the institution were critical of the coup, and they believed that Mursi should have been allowed to complete his term in office. However, the majority of Al-Azhar's leadership ultimately sided with Sisi, and the institution played a key role in legitimizing the coup.
Other Islamic groups reacted to Sisi's coup in different ways. Some of the reactions are:
- The Muslim Brotherhood rejected the coup and denounced it as a violation of democracy and legitimacy. It mobilized its supporters to protest and resist the military takeover, and faced a brutal crackdown by the security forces. It also called for international support and mediation to restore Mursi to power.
- Some radical Islamist groups, such as Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis and Ajnad Misr, escalated their attacks on the army, the police, and other state institutions, especially in Sinai and other parts of Egypt. They claimed to avenge the blood of the Muslim Brotherhood and to fight against the "apostate" regime of Sisi.
- Some moderate Islamist groups, such as al-Nour Party and al-Wasat Party, supported the coup and participated in the transitional roadmap that Sisi announced. They justified their stance by saying that they wanted to prevent civil war and chaos, and that they hoped to have a role in shaping the new political order.
- Some regional Islamic actors, such as Turkey and Qatar, condemned the coup and expressed their solidarity with the Muslim Brotherhood. They offered refuge and media platforms to some of the Brotherhood leaders and members who fled Egypt. They also criticized Sisi's regime for its human rights violations and repression.
"May Allah rest our brother Mursi, our martyr’s soul, in peace."
This quote was made by Erdogan on Monday, June 17, 2019, after Mursi died in a Cairo hospital. Erdogan was a close ally of Mursi and a vocal supporter of the Muslim Brotherhood. Mursi was elected as president of Egypt in 2012 and ousted by a military coup in 2013, while Erdogan has been in power in Turkey since 2003 and survived a failed coup attempt in 2016. He also accused the Egyptian government of murdering Mursi and called for an international trial.
One possible reason why Erdogan supports Mursi is that he sees a similarity between his own party, the Justice and Development Party (AKP), and the Muslim Brotherhood. Both parties have Islamist roots and have faced challenges from secularist forces and the military. Erdogan has also expressed sympathy for Mursi and the Muslim Brotherhood’s supporters who were killed or imprisoned after the 2013 coup that ousted Mursi from power. Mursi faced strong opposition from the Egyptian military, judiciary and media, which undermined his legitimacy and authority, while Erdogan has gradually subordinated the Turkish military, judiciary and media to his control and eliminated his rivals.
Mursi failed to build a broad coalition and alienated many Egyptians by pursuing an Islamist agenda and granting himself sweeping powers, while Erdogan initially won over many Turks by delivering economic growth and reforms and presenting himself as a Muslim democrat.
- Some regional Islamic actors, such as Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Kuwait, welcomed the coup and praised Sisi for saving Egypt from the Muslim Brotherhood. They provided financial and diplomatic support to Sisi's regime, and tried to isolate and weaken the Brotherhood in the region.
Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Kuwait opposed Turkey and Qatar’s backing of the Muslim Brotherhood and its affiliates in various conflicts and crises in the region, such as Libya, Syria, Yemen, and Gaza. They also imposed a blockade on Qatar in 2017, partly over its support for the Brotherhood.
Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Kuwait viewed the Muslim Brotherhood as a threat to their stability and security, as well as their regional interests. They feared that the Brotherhood’s Islamist ideology and populist appeal could inspire opposition movements and challenge their authoritarian rule.
The Muslim Brotherhood views Mursi as a martyr who was unjustly removed from power and murdered by the Egyptian authorities. They also see him as a symbol of their struggle for democracy and Islamic values in Egypt.
Yusuf Al Qaradawi was a prominent Muslim scholar and a supporter of Mursi and the Muslim Brotherhood. He praised Mursi as a martyr who died for the sake of God and his country. He also condemned the military coup that ousted Mursi in 2013 and called for resistance against the regime of Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. He was sentenced to death in absentia by an Egyptian court along with Mursi and other Brotherhood leaders in 2015, but he rejected the verdict as illegitimate. He died in Qatar on Monday at the age of 96.
Some possible problems that Sisi is facing in May 2023 are:
- Sisi is facing criticism and pressure from human rights groups and some Western countries over his crackdown on dissent and civil society, his use of the death penalty, and his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Sisi is facing a challenge from Turkey and Qatar, which support the Muslim Brotherhood and its affiliates in various conflicts and crises in the region, such as Libya, Syria, Yemen, and Gaza. They also oppose Egypt's normalization of relations with Israel and its participation in the Arab Quartet that imposed a blockade on Qatar in 2017.
- Sisi is facing a threat from Ethiopia, which is building a massive dam on the Nile River that could reduce Egypt's share of water and affect its food security and livelihoods. Egypt has tried to negotiate a binding agreement with Ethiopia and Sudan over the filling and operation of the dam, but talks have stalled and tensions have risen.
- Sisi is facing a challenge from domestic opposition groups and activists, who are calling for political reforms and social justice. Some of them are planning to boycott or protest against the upcoming presidential election in 2024, which Sisi is expected to run for a third term after amending the constitution in 2019.
Egypt’s unfulfilled aspirations: Millions of Egyptians who rose up against Hosni Mubarak’s regime in 2011 hoped for a future free of military rule and corruption. Mursi’s rise and fall reflected their uncertainties and anxieties. Despite el-Sisi’s attempts to bury any remnants of Egypt’s democratic transition, many Egyptians still perceive his regime as illegitimate and resist his tyranny.