Egypt's first elected president and way ahead?

EGYPT got an elected President for the first time in its history on Sunday with the Supreme Electoral Committee declaring Muslim Brotherhood-floated Freedom and Justice Party chief Mohamed Morsi as the winner of the run-off elections. Mr Morsi faced a tough challenge from former Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq, considered close to military strongman Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi. The announcement of the election result was delayed, which led to speculation that the ruling Supreme Council for the Armed Forces (SCAF) might manipulate the poll outcome to deny Mr Morsi his due. But that would have caused widespread protests all over Egypt, leading to an uncontrollable chaotic situation. Perhaps, the interim military rulers read the writing on the wall and decided to honour the mandate given by Egyptian voters.

But the ruling generals have taken certain measures which may remain a threat to Egypt’s march to democracy unless they decide to undo these at some stage. They have got the first elected parliament dissolved with the power of writing a new constitution remaining with SCAF. The military has acquired a major say in policy making. The Brotherhood, Mr Morsi’s parent organisation, has expressed its opposition to the last-minute decisions taken by the military, which means the possibility of a showdown between the two sides in the days ahead.
Mr Morsi has been successful in emerging as the first elected head of government in Egypt not only because he got massive support from the most popular Islamic movement called the Muslim Brotherhood. He has been allowed to take up the reins of power also because of the US pressure on the power-hungry ruling generals not to prevent the march of the democratic process that began with last year’s uprising at the famous Tahrir Square in Cairo. Now that Mr Morsi has become the President of Egypt, he must remember that he has certain international obligations to fulfil. The world community will be watching his moves closely because of his Brotherhood connection. The engineer-turned-politician will have to ensure that a democratic Egypt under his command respects human rights and does nothing which can lead to its getting branded as a theocratic state in the guise of democracy.