By Vidar Helgesen, Secretary-General of International IDEA
Vidar Helgesen
Today, we congratulate the Egyptian people on the first anniversary of their revolution. When the enormous crowds gathered at Tahrir Square a year ago, keepers of conventional wisdom were quite confident in the stability of the Mubarak regime. But the Egyptian people defied convention and displayed confidence in the incredible power of the citizen, putting an end to decades of autocratic rule.
A year later, much has happened and much remains to be done. Media freedom has expanded, political parties and activists are free to contest and protest, elections have been held and a new parliament has been inaugurated. Today, the 30-year long state of emergency will reportedly be lifted. On the other hand, democracy and human rights activists still fear the security apparatus, religious minorities are uncertain of their future, and women are almost unrepresented at less than 2% of the new parliament. Not all Egyptians celebrate today: they talk of the need to continue the revolution.
Photo ©: Lotta Westerberg/IDEA
They are right, in the sense that there is much unfinished business. In order to be sustained, however, the democratic objectives of the revolution need to be continued, not least within the institutions which are now being shaped: the parliament, the constitutional committee, a new government. One can reasonably say that now is when Egypt’s democratization process really starts.
The way politics will be conducted in and through these institutions will determine the long-term prospects for democracy in Egypt. Will there be truly civilian control of the armed forces, which is a prerequisite for democracy? Will Egypt’s new political leaders be able to get the country’s economy going and facilitate inclusive, sustainable and equitable growth? Will the new majority ensure that Egypt’s political life gets more inclusive – of women, not least – than in the past, and that the human rights of minorities are guaranteed? The answers to such fundamental questions will only be provided as Egypt’s new political process now starts to unfold.
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