Instability on its way in Egypt: academics

ANKARA

The high subsidy in oil and the huge mushrooming economic debt will trigger instability in Egypt after the presidential elections, said Mohammad Hamad, political science professor at Cairo University.

Ankara-based Middle East Strategic Research Center (ORSAM) and TOBB Economy and Technology University on Monday held a meeting on Egyptian politics after the constitutional referendum last week.

At the meeting, Hamad said, “The constitution voted, indeed brings some major changes such as extending the independence of the army, empowering the presidency and opening the way for further control of the court which the deep state influence in Egypt.”

Hamad added that the newly-formed constitution envisages the establishment of a National Security Council to strengthen military control over political life in the country.

"A more interesting article in the constitution is that the appointed defense minister is subject to the approval of the high military council," noted Hammad.

However, Hamad said a strong military administration consolidating its power through a new constitution is not enough to stabilize the country as the high subsidy in oil prices and increasing foreign debts are not sustainable and need to be addressed.

The Egyptian army took over the state in July in 2013 and suspended the Egyptian constitution and ousted Morsi's 'revolution government'. The coup administration prepared a new constitution to empower the military, presidency and the judiciary. The was presented to the vote at a referendum last week.

Mehmet Ozkan, Ankara-based SETA Foundation's Middle East expert, said that the ongoing situation in Egypt is a loss both for the Muslim Brotherhood and the army because “The influence of the army leaves no political space for the Muslim Brotherhood, but in this there is no economic future for military rule.”

Egypt's High Election Commission announced on Saturday that 38.6 percent of eligible voters, estimated at around 53 million, had cast their ballot in last week's two-day referendum with the resulting 98.1 percent of the voters approving the constitution.

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