The Arab Spring in Egypt took another wrong turning at the weekend, with Nobel Peace Prize winner Mohammed ElBaradei announcing that he was dropping his candidacy for the presidency in protest at the actions of the Egyptian military. Almost a year has passed since the start of the uprising which eventually overthrew the Mubarak government, but democracy in Egypt seems to be as far away as ever.
The anniversary of last year’s January 25 uprising will be marked by rallies protesting the continued rule of the military council. Although the military council seized power after the ouster of the Mubarak government in the name of the revolution, it now seems as if they have simply been acting as an extension of that government. The promise of an end to the old oppression is yet to be fulfilled.
The strongest political contenders if the army should eventually hand over power appear to be Islamists, and in particular members of the Muslim Brotherhood. Although ElBaradei is well known and supported by Westerners, supporters of secular Western-style politicians in Egypt seem to be relatively few. It remains to be seen whether the elections result in new oppressors taking the place of the old.