Supporters of Muslim Brotherhood candidate Mohammed Mursi (portrait) celebrate in Cairo's Tahrir square on June 18, 2012. PATRICK BAZ/AFP/GettyImages
Over the last four days, a stunning succession of events has cast doubt on whether Egypt will transition to an accountable system of government:
- Egypt’s Supreme Court nullified recent parliamentary elections.
- Egypt’s military disbanded Parliament and assumed legislative powers.
- Egypt’s Minister of Justice expanded the military’s powers to arrest civilians.
All of this happened on the eve of this weekend’s runoff elections for the presidency. On Saturday and Sunday, voters went to the polls to choose between two presidential candidates — Mubarak’s last prime minister Ahmed Shafiq and the Muslim Brotherhood’s Mohamed Mursi.
The Muslim Brotherhood’s Mursi has claimed victory, and Egyptian media are also reporting that to be the case. Whoever wins the presidency will take office without a parliament, a constitution, or defined presidential powers, and will have to negotiate with the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) — the military leadership. SEE THE REST OF THIS POST