POST – ‘ARAB SPRING’: BENEFICIAL LESSONS IN GOVERNANCE FROM RECENT EVENTS IN EGYPT AND TUNISIA

Authors

  • Daud AbdulFattah Batchelorte International Institute of Advanced Islamic Studies (Malaysia)

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.54561/prj0801117b

Keywords:

Morsi, General Sisi, Arab world, Egypt, Islamic principle, Salafists, Al-Azhar

Abstract

The fall of elected Egyptian President Morsi is likely to reverberate into the future throughout the Arab World.  It pits the growing large community of Islamic-committed citizens (just under 60 percent in Egypt according to Pew Center surveys) and frustrated youth wanting participatory governance and legitimate freedoms against military autocrats, their business and judicial associates, and hereditary rulers in the region who wish to maintain the status quo against the bedrock Islamic principle of representative governance. Tunisia leads the way in providing a to-date successful transition post-‘Arab Spring’ to an alternative vision favouring the welfare of its citizens. This is a consequence of the flexibility and willingness of Islamists there to work together in coalition with other groups even secularists.  Egypt displays the beginning of an epic struggle that will unlikely end until some form of participatory governance is achieved through civil disobedience.  President Mohammad Morsi managed the passage of a new constitution (presently suspended) under strong opposition but was unable to project a ‘democratic’ image or resolve the country’s economic problems. He also failed to embrace inclusiveness even to work closely with other Islamic forces – the Salafists and the Al-Azhar institution.  Chief of the armed forces, Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi however, in rebelling against his civilian commander, is attempting to restore the pre-Arab Spring status of covert military rule. He successfully drew initial support from the Salafists and liberals but can no longer assume their backing. Shaykh Al-Azhar in openly supporting al-Sisi has compromised the erstwhile high regard held for Al-Azhar in the Muslim world.

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Published

2022-12-12

How to Cite

Batchelorte, D. A. (2022). POST – ‘ARAB SPRING’: BENEFICIAL LESSONS IN GOVERNANCE FROM RECENT EVENTS IN EGYPT AND TUNISIA. Politics and Religion Journal, 8(1), 117–133. https://doi.org/10.54561/prj0801117b