Egyptian military chief Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Sisi announced July 3 that the country’s president, Mohammed Morsi, had been removed from office in the wake of popular unrest. In a short media statement, al-Sisi, who was flanked by the three armed services chiefs, opposition leaders, the sheikh of al-Azhar Mosque and the pope of the Coptic Church, announced that Adly Mansour, chief justice of the Constitutional Court, has replaced Morsi as interim president. He also announced that the constitution has been suspended. Mansour’s appointment is notable in that one of the key demands of the Tamarod protest movement was that he become president. The provisional government will be holding fresh parliamentary and presidential elections.
The arrangement was made without the involvement of Morsi, whose whereabouts remain unknown, or of anyone representing the Muslim Brotherhood’s political arm, the Freedom and Justice Party. The Muslim Brotherhood, which has effectively been thrown out of power, must now figure out how to respond. The group probably will not respond violently, but it will engage in civil unrest that will lead to violence. Though the Brotherhood is unlikely to abandon the path of democratic politics, Morsi’s ouster will lead elements from more ultraconservative Salafist groups to abandon mainstream politics in favor of armed conflict.
The overthrow of Egypt’s moderate Islamist government undermines the international efforts to bring radical Islamists into the political mainstream in the wider Arab and Muslim world. Ultimately, within the context of Egypt, Morsi’s ouster sets a precedent where future presidents can expect to be removed from office by the military in the event of pressure from the masses. In a way, this was set in motion by the ouster of former President Hosni Mubarak, and it does not bode well for the future stability of Egypt.
“Egypt: Military Coup Bodes Ill for Future Stability is republished with permission of Stratfor.”
Further updates reprinted with permission from :Aswat Masriya
Update: Matrouh governor says four dead in Mursi opponents, supporters clashes
Four people will killed and five were injured in clashes that broke out between deposed president Mohamed Mursi’s supporters and opponents in Matrouh governorate on Wednesday evening, Matrouh governor told Reuters over the phone.
Army and police forces intervened to break up the clashes, an eyewitness told Reuters.
Egypt: Islamists attack shops in Alexandria after Mursi’s ouster
A group of Islamists supporting former President Mohamed Mursi smashed several shops in Alexandria’s Miami district and prevented residents in the area from celebrating Mursi’s ouster on Wednesday.
After the armed forces’ statement was broadcast, they prevented us from taking to the streets to celebrate and destroyed several shops in Khaled Ibn al-Waleed Street, eyewitnesses living in the area reported.
There were reports of armed men assaulting residents and shops in Miami, the head of Alexandria’s security department, Sherif Abdel Hamid, said.
Hundreds of Muslim Brotherhood members declared a sit-in in Sidi Beshr Square.
Earlier on Wednesday, Egypt’s top army commander Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said that the army has agreed with political forces to suspend the constitution and delegate the head of the constitutional court as an honorary president until early presidential elections are held.
According to the state-run newspaper al-Ahram, the army informed Mursi earlier on Wednesday that was no longer president of Egypt.
Constitutional court head to be sworn in as interim head of state of Egypt
Adly Mansour, the Supreme Constitutional Court head, will be sworn in on Thursday as the interim head of state, Reuters News Agency reported on Wednesday.
Former president of Egypt Mohamed Mursi: Army measures are coup
Former President Mohamed Mursi said on his Facebook page that the steps announced by the armed forces are “a military coup that is wholly rejected”.
As president of Egypt and supreme head of the armed forces, Mursi urged all people, civilians and military personnel, to abide by the law and the constitution and not heed this coup which he said drags Egypt backwards.
Egypt’s armed forces urges Egyptians to avoid violence
Egypt’s armed forces urged all Egyptians to keep their demonstrations peaceful and avoid violence.
In a statement General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi made earlier on Wednesday, the armed forces warned that it will deal firmly and decisively with any attempt to deviate from peaceful means out of its historic and national responsibility.
The armed forces saluted the police and the judiciary for their great role and continuous sacrifice.
