Analysts Weigh In on Morsi’s Latest Moves
Egypt’s opposition parties have reportedly rejected a call by President Morsi to sit down for political dialogue. President Barack Obama expressed support for the political talks. The opposition said the president had offered few concessions to his opponents and National Salvation Front spokesman Ahmed Said confirmed that it “is not taking part in the dialogue, that is the official stance.” Morsi proposed the meeting in his speech yesterday, and further protests are planned for what opposition members have dubbed “ultimatum Friday.”
A number of analysts have offered their assessments of President Morsi’s latest moves. Tom Perry and Edmund Blair contend that Morsi’s “bid to wrap up Egypt’s transition on his own terms has eroded his nation’s faith in their nascent democracy and will complicate the already unenviable task of government.” Jason Brownlee writes, “While purporting to seek national consensus [...] liberals are reincarnating the anti-democratic elitism of the ancien regime. Through urban protests they are trying to undo the product of multiple national elections and constitutional deliberation by democratically chosen representatives. Beneath the slogans against the president lies the old argument of Mubarak and his cronies: Secular authoritarianism is preferable to a democracy infused with faith.”
Juan Cole suggests, “Morsi has a great deal of legitimacy owing to his being the first elected president of Egypt. But he has detracted from it by his recent actions, in the eyes of many Egyptians. …Many religious Egyptians and political centrists are deeply disturbed by Morsi’s high-handed actions and at the cult-like solidarity behind him of the Muslim Brotherhood. That al-Azhar has now publicly reprimanded Morsi [regarding the draft of the constitution] makes it clear that the fault lines are much more complex than just secular versus fundamentalist.” Former US Assistant Secretary of State PJ Crowley says, “The consolidation of power by Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi is another stumbling block for the new government. But building a true democracy takes time.”
Finally, a New York Times editorial asserts that “Mr. Morsi should have worked much harder to bring opposition figures into his government, ensure the Constitutional Assembly was fully representative and that there was broad consensus for the constitution before the referendum was set. At this point, the only way forward for dialogue is if Mr. Morsi delays the referendum and rescinds his decree. Neither he nor his opponents can afford to let this dangerous and self-defeating confrontation continue.”
