Major Misgivings in Post-Mubarak Egypt

Tensions are running high across Egypt following a period of deadly unrest. In a show of power reminiscent of the 2011 revolution that ousted Hosni Mubarak, large crowds have gathered in Cairo’s Tahrir Square to protest against the country’s first Islamic president, Mohammed Morsi.

The army has given a defiant Morsi 48 hours to accommodate his opponents with a power sharing agreement or suffer the consequences. The initial joy of Mubarak’s removal has been replaced by frustration due to Egypt’s ailing economic situation.

Tourists have been driven away due to the government’s failure to clamp down on the chaos, crime and disorder that emerged since Morsi took power. Meanwhile, fears are also emerging amongst democratic reformists that the new president is moving in an authoritarian direction.

The Pew Research Center carried out a poll amongst Egyptians about economic and democratic conditions in the country. Starkly illustrating the volume of frustration and discontent raging in the country at present, a majority of 56 percent were dissatisfied with the way Egyptian democracy is working.

However, the economy seems to be the main point of contention amongst Egyptians. A massive 76 percent of people in the country felt that national economic conditions were bad. Just 23 percent believed economic conditions were good, while 1 percent did not know.