The Egyptian Elections as a Reflection of the Complex Internal Political Struggle in the Country

In the book “Classless Politics. Islamist Movements, the Left, and Authoritarian Legacies in Egypt†by Hesham Sallam, the author attempts to examine and analyze the conditions for the formation of a multi-party system in Egypt. Gamal Abdel Nasser and his associates were opposed to the very idea of a multi-party system, because they believed that a multi-party system would result in the restoration of the monarchical system in the country. On the recommendation of the United States, the Egyptian leadership, headed by Sadat, began building a multi-party system. Three “platforms†appeared within the Arab Socialist Union – left, right and centrist. Anwar Sadat personally wanted to integrate Islamists into this emerging system in order to counterbalance leftist forces. Under Hosni Mubarak, the political system developed amid the emergence of new socio-political forces, including the youth. A feature of Egypt’s development under Mubarak was vigorous (for Egypt) economic growth. However, the population growth was even more significant, which in 2010–2011 led to an aggravation of contradictions between a society demanding better living conditions and the authorities headed by an elderly president. The social upheaval became an inevitable consequence of the economic development model chosen by the country’s ruling circles. It is clear that the Egyptian authorities must actively pursue socioeconomic reforms and implement progressive modernization to mitigate potential social upheavals in the future. Â