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Journalism of Courage
Egypts freely elected president must first reach out to minorities and liberals
The Muslim Brotherhoods accidental candidate,Mohammed Mursi,has promised to be president to all Egyptians. However,for Egypts first freely elected president,the challenge begins on paper. How willing will be the military,which stripped the presidency of most powers and assumed an extensive legislative and budgetary role during the run-off,to follow up its words of congratulation with making room for a civilian government? Will the Muslim Brotherhood give Mursi a free hand,given that he was not their first choice?
The challenge for Mursi,a conservative widely perceived as uncharismatic,is not merely the democratic reconciliation with Egypts Supreme Council of Armed Forces (SCAF). While his first test is the Brotherhoods promise of continued protest at Tahrir Square till parliament,dissolved before the run-off,is restored,Mursi has to tackle a multitude of problems. These range from managing Egypts struggling economy and large-scale unemployment to mitigating the fears of liberals and minorities like the Coptics most of whom appear to have voted for his rival Ahmed Shafik,the Hosni Mubarak regimes last prime minister. Shafik,despite being looked upon as a proxy for military rule,secured nearly half the votes. Its this half of Egypt,including sections sceptical of Islamist rule,that Mursi will have to win over by demonstrating his ability to adapt. Mursi will also have to manage the noises directed at the West and at Israel,which is apprehensive of the fate of the bilateral peace treaty. Although the SCAF has promised to hand over power on June 30,Egypts new president will have to do much more to make his triumph more than symbolic.
As an old friend,India will not only have to come to terms with the transition but also step up its engagement,after appearing to have put itself on the right side of history vis-à-vis the Arab revolutions with the Syria vote at UNSC. There may not be much for India to do on the ground. But,given its stake in the Arab world,New Delhi can facilitate this transition with the example of its own democratic and institutional solidity.
