Political Transition in a Post-Arab Spring Middle East: a Comparative Analysis of Tunisia, Egypt, and Yemen

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Political Transition in a Post-Arab Spring Middle East: a Comparative Analysis of Tunisia, Egypt, and Yemen POLITICAL TRANSITION IN A POST-ARAB SPRING MIDDLE EAST: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF TUNISIA, EGYPT, AND YEMEN by DOMINIC W. MARTIN A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for Honors in the Major Program in International and Global Studies in the College of Sciences and in the Burnett Honors College at the University of Central Florida Orlando, Florida Spring Term 2014 Thesis Chair: Dr. Houman A. Sadri © 2014 Dominic W. Martin ii ABSTRACT The Arab Spring that began in Tunisia and spread throughout the Middle East shook the region. These populous movements unseated authoritarian rulers whose power and position were well entrenched, potentially setting numerous countries on a path towards democratization. This project seeks to explain why the democratic transitions within the countries of Egypt, Tunisia, and Yemen have been largely unsuccessful. The large amounts of literature that flooded the academic forums through articles and books are analyzed, providing numerous explanations as to why these transitions have been unsuccessful such as polarization, deadlock, sectarianism, violence, and institutional conflict. This literature focuses on either one or several of the above-mentioned explanations while not pinning down a central cause for these phenomena, since they are all present in all three cases. This paper asserts that the cause of this hindered transition is the emphasis that these States placed upon electoral democracy. An emphasis placed on elections during transition highlighted and exacerbated factors (polarization, deadlock, sectarianism, violence, and institutional conflict) already present in these societies but kept dormant under authoritarian rule. To illustrate this the initial transitional government, representative body elected, and executive is analyzed to show how each governing unit stressed elections before a constitution. The identification of an overarching cause for the lack of fruitful transition like this project seeks to accomplish is of great importance, filling a much needed gap in the literature of comparative Middle Eastern revolutionary studies; along with providing foreign policy makers a tool to craft more impactful policy. iii To my Mother Lucy and Father Patrick, For providing and nurturing in me everything needed succeed in life Especially my deep-seated love of politics and history iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS There are numerous people I would like to thank and without who this thesis would not have been possible. First off I would like to thank Dr. Houman A. Sadri for serving as my thesis chair and mentor throughout my undergraduate career. I would also like to thank Dr. Waltraud Morales and Dr. Hakan Ozoglu for their time and service as thesis committee members. I also have to thank Rita Peterson, Justin Faulkner, Gail Garten, and Malia Blake who saw my potential when others did not. They exemplify the type of character needed in a successful educator, and inspired me to become one myself. Without these individuals who mentored me in my youth I would not be half the student I am today and for that I am eternally grateful. v TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................. 1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 1 Significance................................................................................................................................. 2 Literature ..................................................................................................................................... 2 Research & the Literature ........................................................................................................... 8 Research Design.......................................................................................................................... 9 End Notes .................................................................................................................................. 11 CHAPTER TWO: TUNISIA ........................................................................................................ 12 Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 12 The Jasmine Revolution ............................................................................................................ 12 The National Unity Government and Initial Transition ............................................................ 15 Constituent Assembly and Elections ........................................................................................ 18 The Executive ........................................................................................................................... 23 Summer of 2013 Protests .......................................................................................................... 28 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................ 29 End Notes .................................................................................................................................. 32 CHAPTER THREE: EGYPT ....................................................................................................... 34 Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 34 January 25th Movement ............................................................................................................. 34 SCAF & Initial Transition ........................................................................................................ 37 Parliament ................................................................................................................................. 42 The President ............................................................................................................................ 46 July 3rd Coup ............................................................................................................................. 55 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................ 61 End Notes .................................................................................................................................. 64 CHAPTER FOUR: YEMEN ........................................................................................................ 67 Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 67 Yemeni “Revolution”................................................................................................................ 67 GCC Deal .................................................................................................................................. 71 National Dialogue and Transition ............................................................................................. 73 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................ 76 End Notes .................................................................................................................................. 77 CHAPTER FIVE: CONCLUSION............................................................................................... 78 Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 78 Arab Spring Movements ........................................................................................................... 79 Initial Transition........................................................................................................................ 83 Parliament, Elections, & the NDC ............................................................................................ 85 Executive................................................................................................................................... 87 Overall Significance.................................................................................................................. 91 End Notes .................................................................................................................................. 94 REFERENCES ............................................................................................................................. 96 vi ABBREVIATIONS MENA: Middle East and North Africa NDP: National Democratic Party (Mubarak Ruling Party) SCAF: Supreme Council of the Armed Forces NSF: National Salvation Front MB: Muslim Brotherhood FJP: Freedom and Justice Party SCC: Supreme Constitutional Court IAEA: International Atomic Energy Agency NUG: National Unity Government (Tunisian Initial Transition Government) RCD: Constitutional Democratic Rally Party (Ben Ali’s Ruling Party) PDP: Progressive Democratic Party DPP: Democratic Patriot’s Party UGTT: Tunisian General Labour Union AQAP: Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsular JMP: Joint Meeting Parties NFP: (Look up) PCND: Preparatory Committee for National Dialogue GPC: General People’s Congress (Saleh’s Ruling Party) GCC: Gulf Cooperation Council NDC: National Dialogue YSP: Yemeni
Recommended publications
  • The Muslim Brotherhood and Modern Education How Will the Muslim Brotherhood Address Egypt's Failing Education System
    View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by Calhoun, Institutional Archive of the Naval Postgraduate School Calhoun: The NPS Institutional Archive Theses and Dissertations Thesis Collection 2012-09 The Muslim Brotherhood and Modern Education How Will the Muslim Brotherhood Address Egypt's Failing Education System Manning, Christopher Monterey, California. Naval Postgraduate School http://hdl.handle.net/10945/17411 NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA THESIS THE MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD AND MODERN EDUCATION: HOW WILL THE MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD ADDRESS EGYPT’S FAILING EDUCATION SYSTEM? by Christopher Manning September 2012 Thesis Advisor: Robert Springborg Second Reader: Mohammed M. Hafez Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK REPORT DOCUMENTATION PAGE Form Approved OMB No. 0704-0188 Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 1 hour per response, including the time for reviewing instruction, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to Washington headquarters Services, Directorate for Information Operations and Reports, 1215 Jefferson Davis Highway, Suite 1204, Arlington, VA 22202-4302, and to the Office of Management and Budget, Paperwork Reduction Project (0704-0188) Washington DC 20503. 1. AGENCY USE ONLY (Leave blank) 2. REPORT DATE 3. REPORT TYPE AND DATES COVERED September 2012 Master’s Thesis 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE The Muslim Brotherhood and Modern Education: How 5. FUNDING NUMBERS Will the Muslim Brotherhood Address Egypt’s Failing Education System? 6.
    [Show full text]
  • Terrorism and the Rise of ISIS in Egypt
    BearWorks MSU Graduate Theses Fall 2015 Terrorism and the Rise of ISIS in Egypt Jantzen William Garnett As with any intellectual project, the content and views expressed in this thesis may be considered objectionable by some readers. However, this student-scholar’s work has been judged to have academic value by the student’s thesis committee members trained in the discipline. The content and views expressed in this thesis are those of the student-scholar and are not endorsed by Missouri State University, its Graduate College, or its employees. Follow this and additional works at: https://bearworks.missouristate.edu/theses Part of the Defense and Security Studies Commons Recommended Citation Garnett, Jantzen William, "Terrorism and the Rise of ISIS in Egypt" (2015). MSU Graduate Theses. 2551. https://bearworks.missouristate.edu/theses/2551 This article or document was made available through BearWorks, the institutional repository of Missouri State University. The work contained in it may be protected by copyright and require permission of the copyright holder for reuse or redistribution. For more information, please contact [email protected]. TERRORISM AND THE RISE OF ISIS IN EGYPT A Masters Thesis Presented to The Graduate College of Missouri State University TEMPLATE In Partial Fulfillment Of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Science, Defense and Strategic Studies By Jantzen W. Garnett December 2015 Copyright 2015 by Jantzen William Marlow Garnett ii TERRORISM AND THE RISE OF ISIS IN EGYPT Defense and Strategic Studies Missouri State University, December 2015 Master of Science Jantzen W. Garnett ABSTRACT Using mostly primary source materials this thesis seeks to understand the evolution of and linkages between different terrorist organization that have operated in Egypt and the Sinai, in particular.
    [Show full text]
  • Constitution-Making and Democratization
    A Thesis Submitted for the Degree of PhD at the University of Warwick Permanent WRAP URL: http://wrap.warwick.ac.uk/132949 Copyright and reuse: This thesis is made available online and is protected by original copyright. Please scroll down to view the document itself. Please refer to the repository record for this item for information to help you to cite it. Our policy information is available from the repository home page. For more information, please contact the WRAP Team at: [email protected] warwick.ac.uk/lib-publications Constitution-making and Democratization: A Comparative Analysis of Tunisia and Egypt after the 2010/11 Uprisings Tereza Jermanová A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Politics and International Studies University of Warwick Department of Politics and International Studies September 2018 Table of Contents List of Figures and Tables .………………………………………………....…..…iii Acknowledgements .................................................................................................... iv Abstract ...................................................................................................................... vi List of Abbreviations ................................................................................................ vii 1. Introduction ............................................................................................................ 1 1.1 Setting the Scene: Constitutional Agreement and International Assistance for Constitution-makers
    [Show full text]
  • Ancien Régime: Legacies of Previous Authoritarian Regimes and the Struggle for Democratization in the Arab World
    Ancien Régime: Legacies of Previous Authoritarian Regimes and the Struggle for Democratization in the Arab World By Baba Adou Submitted to the graduate degree program in the Center for Global and International Studies and the Graduate Faculty of the University of Kansas in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts. ________________________________ Chairperson Dr. Michael Wuthrich ________________________________ Dr. John James Kennedy ________________________________ Dr. Yacine Daddi Addoun Date Defended: 04/ 29/ 2015 The Thesis Committee for Baba Adou certifies that this is the approved version of the following thesis: Ancien Régime: Legacies of Previous Authoritarian Regimes and the Struggle for Democratization in the Arab World ________________________________ Chairperson Dr. Michael Wuthrich Date approved: 04/ 29/ 2015 ii Abstract Arab Spring, or the series of uprisings that swept the Middle East and North Africa in early 2011, has raised hopes that the region is finally catching up with democracy. The fall of four long- established authoritarian regimes in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya and Yemen, respectively, shook the foundations of the ‘Arab exceptionalism’ thesis which dominated much of the literature on the region. Four years after the Arab Spring, however, the prospects of democratization in the region appear to be dim; out of the four regime changes in Libya, Yemen, Egypt and Tunisia, only the latter seems to be leading a relatively successful democratic transition. This paper attempts to address the variations witnessed in the four cases’ post-Arab Spring experiences. Analyzing the four countries against the backdrop of their institutional contexts, I argue that institutional legacies of previous regime type could account for the success of democracy in Tunisia and its failure in the rest of the cases.
    [Show full text]
  • Mubarak Trial Could Trigger Coup in Egypt.Pdf
    www.daminaadvisors.com DaMina Advisors Alert - EGYPT: Humiliating ‘caged trial’ of Mubarak, his sons and former top regime loyalists may trigger a palace coup against head of state Field Marshal Mohammed Tantawi …. The 3 August commencement of a humiliating trial of former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, his two sons and a half a dozen former senior regime figures will trigger a backlash within the middle ranks of the Egyptian armed forces, and could topple 75-year old Field Marshall Mohammed Tantawi from power. Pro-Mubarakist senior officers – especially within the Air Force - are looking to the incorruptible 63-year old Chief of General Staff Gen. Sami Hafez Anan, (himself a former air force officer like Mubarak) as a possible replacement to Tantawi. Anan is widely respected by Egyptian civil society, the armed forces and ironically the Muslim Brotherhood (according to Wikileaks). The spectacle of Mubarak, a former three decade long head of state of Egypt and a bona fide general of the country’s air force caged in a civilian court room will rile many senior members of the Egyptian armed forces in a country where the armed forces is the most revered institution. A prolonged humiliating trial could sharpen latent rivalries within the Egyptian armed forces between the army and air force, forcing many in the senior officer ranks (who were appointed by Mubarak during his three decade tenure) to feel a sense of unease. Tantawi, who was Mubarak’s defense minister for over two decades and a highly decorated army general, but who hails from the poorer Sudanic south of the country – as opposed to the wealthier Arab northern Nile delta regions, has been unable to quell rising dissent among the elite officer corps.
    [Show full text]
  • 2013 Strategic Outlook for Canada
    CDA l’Institut Institute CAD 7 ~ 20 198 13 VIMY PAPER NUMBER SIX THE STRATEGIC OUTLOOK FOR CANADA GEORGE PETROLEKAS – FERRY DE KERCKHOVE CDA INSTITUTE L’INSTITUT DE LA CAD VIMY PAPER CAHIER VIMY Conference of Defence Associations Institute Institut de la Conférence des associations de la défense The Conference of Defence Associations Institute L’Institut de la Conférence des associations de la is a charitable and non-partisan organisation défense est un organisme caritatif et non partisan whose mandate is to promote informed public qui a pour mandat de promouvoir un débat public debate on national security and defence issues. éclairé sur les enjeux de notre sécurité et de la défense nationale. Conference of Defence Associations Institute Institut de la Conférence des associations de la défense 151 Slater Street, suite 412A 151 rue Slater, bureau 412A Ottawa, Ontario K1P 5H3 Ottawa (Ontario) K1P 5H3 613 236 9903 | www.cda-cdai.ca 613 236 9903 | www.cda-cdai.ca [email protected] [email protected] All logos and trademarks used are the property of Tous les logos et les marques de commerce utilisés their respective holders. sont la propriété de leurs détenteurs respectifs. Use in this publication is under non-commercial and L’utilisation qui en est faite dans cette publication normative fair use provisions of applicable Canadian l’est en vertu des dispositions de la loi canadienne law. applicable sur l’utilisation équitable non commerciale et nominative. VIMY PAPER NUMBER SIX THE STRATEGIC OUTLOOK FOR CANADA GEORGE PETROLEKAS – FERRY DE KERCKHOVE The Conference of Defence Associations Institute © February 2013 English version The Vimy Paper Vol.
    [Show full text]
  • Glossary of Arabic Terms
    GLOSSARY OF ARABIC TERMS Al-Adou Al-Baeed far enemy (the United States and the West) Al-Adou Al-Qareeb near enemy (apostate Muslim rulers) Al-da’wa religious call Al-amn Al-markazi Security Force Al-Da’wa Al-Salafeyya The Salafst Call Al-Salafyya ‘ilmiyya scientifc Salafsm Al-Salafyya Al-Saalah or liquid Salafsm is an expression to non- affliated Salafsts Al-dawla Al-madaniya civil state Al-Faridah Al-Ghaibah Absent (or Forgotten) Duty Al-Gama`a Al-Islamiyya The Islamic Group Al-hakimiya God’s sovereignty Al-Haya Al-Shariyya lil-Haquq wa-l Islah Islamic Legitimate Body of Rights and Reformation al-iktifa’a al-thati seeking self-suffciency Al-jahiliya state of divine ignorance Ajjanad Miser Egypt Soldiers Group al-jihaz al-sirri secret paramilitary unit, the Special Apparatus or Secret Unit Al-sama’ wata’a hear and obey, total obedience Al-Tabri’a The Exoneration Al-Takfr Wal-Hijra Excommunication and Exodus ach 'amal working brother © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s) 2017 261 A.A.-D. Arafat, The Rise of Islamism in Egypt, DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-53712-2 262 GLOSSARY OF ARABIC TERMS Afghan Arabs veterans of the Afghan war Ikhwanisiation Arabic for Brotherhoodization, is a process by which the Muslim Brotherhood members enter and perhaps even dominate off- cial institutions Ansar Al-Jihad Supporters of Holy War Asma’ wa al-sifat unity of Allah’s names and attributes Bid’ah religious innovation that has occurred since the time of prophet Mohamed Baraka blessing Caliph pan-Islamic ruler Caliphate centralized Islamic authority
    [Show full text]
  • Epilogue: New Perspectives on Egypt's Democratization
    EPILOGUE: NEW PERSPECTIVES ON EGYPT’S DEMOCRATIZATION INTRODUCTION This chapter explores Egypt’s democratization from fve different inter- related perspectives. First a review of the literature on democratic transi- tion, or ‘transitology,’1 is presented which details the non-linear nature of democratization processes. Secondly, a diagnosis of Egypt’s political system after El-Sisi ascended to power is offered. It is argued here that Egypt under both Morsi and El-Sisi has taken no steps towards democ- racy and hence after two successive revolutions, Egypt can be defned as a ‘destabilized hybrid regime’. The third part explores how Egypt can move from a ‘destabilized hybrid regime’ into a democratic state. Six factors that might affect Egypt democratization have been analyzed: socioeconomic factors; political parties; civil society; external support; state-religious relations; the rule of law and constitutionalism; and fnally (explored more fully in Chap. 7) civil–military relations. The fourth part explores how Egypt can learn from failed and unconsolidated (unfn- ished) democratic models from other areas of the world. Of the suc- cessful examples—some had the support of external parties such as the EU, NATO, and the US; some had active political parties; and others had healthy civil societies. However, Egypt had none of these. The ffth part addresses how Egypt can learn from Rustow’s model for demo- cratic transition, which elevates the role of human actors in the process of democratization and identifes four phases needed to establish a lasting © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s) 2018 217 A.A.-D. Arafat, Egypt in Crisis, DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-56020-5 218 EPILOGUE: NEW PERSPECTIVES ON EGYPT’S DEMOCRATIZATION democracy.
    [Show full text]
  • Demands of the Egyptian Revolution and the Newly-Emerging Actors
    IEMed. European Institute of the Mediterranean Consortium formed by: Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Government of Catalonia Barcelona City Council President: Artur Mas President of the Government of Catalonia Vice-Presidents: José Manuel García-Margallo Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Joana Ortega Vice-President of the Government of Catalonia Xavier Trias Mayor of Barcelona Executive President: Senén Florensa Board of Trustees: Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria, BBVA La Caixa Cambra de Comerç, Indústria i Navegació de Barcelona El Consorci. Zona Franca de Barcelona Endesa Iberia Telefónica PapersIEMed. Published by the European Institute of the Mediterranean Coordination: Pol Morillas Proof-reading: Neil Charlton Layout: Núria Esparza ISSN: 1888-5357 Legal deposit: B-27445-2011 February 2014 On the occasion of the Annual Conference “A Transforming Arab World: Between Continuity and Change”, held in Paris on 3rd and 4th Oc- tober 2013 and co-organised by the European Union Institute for Security Studies (EUISS) and the IEMed, distinguished analysts presented the results of their research on the new dynamics in the region following the Arab uprisings. Three major issues were explored: the role of the state in absorbing the shocks of change, the fragmentation or cohesion of the Mediterranean region, and the new actors and demands of Arab civil society. This series of Papers brings together the revised research works presented at the EuroMeSCo Annual Conference 2013. This publication has been produced with the assistance of the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID). The contents of this publication are the sole responsibility of the author and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the AECID or the Eu- ropean Institute of the Mediterranean.
    [Show full text]
  • Periodical of the Military National Security Service
    PERIODICAL OF THE MILITARY NATIONAL SECURITY SERVICE CURRENT ISSUES The First Anniversary of the “Arab Spring” The European Union and the ”Arab Spring” The Achilles’ Heel of the Chinese Oil Consumption Past, Present and Future of the NCO Corps Intendment of the North Atlantic Treaty Psychological Questions in Rehabilitation - Aspects of Military Health Care Alternatives for Crisis Management Role and Importance of Reconnaissance in the Fight against Irregular Warfare 2012/2 SPECIAL ISSUE Scientific Periodical of the Military National Security Service Responsible Publisher: Lt-Gen József Kovács, Director General, Chairman of the Scientific Board Editorial Board Chairman:: Col. Eng. István Resperger, PhD Members: Col. István Kobolka, PhD Secretary of the Scientific Board Brig-Gen. István Magyar, PhD Brig-Gen. Zsigmond Tömösváry, PhD Col. József Bagi, PhD Col. Eng. János Fürjes, PhD Lt.-Col. Eng. Sándor Magyar, PhD Lt.-Col. Eng. Tóth Sándor, PhD Lt.-Col. Eng. Vida Csaba, PhD Responsible-editor: Col. Jenő Ledács Kiss Reading editors Capt. Viktoria Magyar Lt. Dr. Éva Dudás Make-up editor: Marianna Juth Language editor: Col. Mihály Szabó A kiadásban közreműködött az MH Geoinformációs Szolgálat Szabályzatszerkesztő és Kiadó Osztálya Nyomdai munkák: HM Térképészeti Közhasznú Nonprofit Kft. Felelős vezető: Németh László ügyvezető igazgató HU ISSN 2063-2908 CONTENTS Page EVALUATIONS, ANALYSES, STUDIES Maj. JÁNOS BESENYŐ, PhD – VIKTOR MARSAI The First Anniversary of the ”Arab Spring” – what kind of changes have taken place since then? ...................................................................... 5 ISTVAN LASZLO GAL, PhD and JAMES PARK TAYLOR Financing Terrorism: Afghanistan and the Haqqani ....................... 16 ÉVA REMEK, PhD The European Union and the „Arab Spring” – What has changed one year after? ..................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Political Transition in a Post-Arab Spring Middle East: a Comparative Analysis of Tunisia, Egypt, and Yemen
    University of Central Florida STARS HIM 1990-2015 2014 Political Transition in a Post-Arab Spring Middle East: A Comparative Analysis of Tunisia, Egypt, and Yemen Dominic Martin University of Central Florida Part of the Near and Middle Eastern Studies Commons, and the Political Science Commons Find similar works at: https://stars.library.ucf.edu/honorstheses1990-2015 University of Central Florida Libraries http://library.ucf.edu This Open Access is brought to you for free and open access by STARS. It has been accepted for inclusion in HIM 1990-2015 by an authorized administrator of STARS. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Recommended Citation Martin, Dominic, "Political Transition in a Post-Arab Spring Middle East: A Comparative Analysis of Tunisia, Egypt, and Yemen" (2014). HIM 1990-2015. 1592. https://stars.library.ucf.edu/honorstheses1990-2015/1592 POLITICAL TRANSITION IN A POST-ARAB SPRING MIDDLE EAST: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF TUNISIA, EGYPT, AND YEMEN by DOMINIC W. MARTIN A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for Honors in the Major Program in International and Global Studies in the College of Sciences and in the Burnett Honors College at the University of Central Florida Orlando, Florida Spring Term 2014 Thesis Chair: Dr. Houman A. Sadri © 2014 Dominic W. Martin ii ABSTRACT The Arab Spring that began in Tunisia and spread throughout the Middle East shook the region. These populous movements unseated authoritarian rulers whose power and position were well entrenched, potentially setting numerous countries on a path towards democratization. This project seeks to explain why the democratic transitions within the countries of Egypt, Tunisia, and Yemen have been largely unsuccessful.
    [Show full text]
  • Egyptian Constitution Timeline, 13 February 2011
    OIS 4 (2016) Media Culture in Transformation: Political Communication, Social Networking and Transition in Egypt Compiled by Hend Aly and Nadia Leihs Egyptian Constitution Timeline, 13 February 2011 to 31 January 2014 This timeline shows major changes relating to the constitutional debates between February 2011 and January 2014 (when the referendum on 2014 constitution took place). Unrelated events are not included. The timeline is part of the research project, "Media Culture Transformation: Political Communication, Social Movements and Transition in Egypt". The project was hosted by the Cairo Office of the Orient-Institut Beirut and funded by the Federal Ministry of Research and Education (BMBF) in Germany. 2011 13 February Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak is ousted, following the massive protests that began on 25 January 2011. He had ruled the country since 1981. The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF), headed by Field Marshal Mohammed Tantawy, assumes power to rule Egypt. In a constitutional proclamation (https://web.archive.org/web/20140407220444/http://www.worldanalysis.net/modules/news/article.p ?http://www.sis.gov.eg/Ar/Templates/Articles/tmpArticles.aspx) (اللعل ن الدستور) (hp?storyid=1742 ArtID=44103#.VpEN2E-j_Cv), SCAF suspends the constitution of 1971, dissolves Parliament and calls for an end to strikes and protests. It appoints a new government, which retains most of Mubarakʼ s ministers in their positions. 15 February SCAF assigns a committee of experts to prepare in non-public sessions amendments to the 1971 (لجنة التعديل ت الدستورية) constitution (http://www.sis.gov.eg/Ar/Templates/Articles/tmpArticles.aspx?ArtID=44155). The committee is headed by the retired judge Tarek El-Bishry, who is known for his Islamist orientation.
    [Show full text]