EGYPT/FILE: Egyptian parliamentary elections scheduled to begin this weekend are the direct result of a bloody 18-day popular uprising, Egypt's Arab Spring

Record ID: 176880

  • Title: EGYPT/FILE: Egyptian parliamentary elections scheduled to begin this weekend are the direct result of a bloody 18-day popular uprising, Egypt's Arab Spring
  • Date: 22nd November 2011
  • Summary: CAIRO, EGYPT (FILE - JANUARY 25, 2011) (REUTERS) RIOT POLICE RUNNING DOWN STREET SCUFFLES BETWEEN POLICE AND PROTESTERS PROTESTERS CARRYING THE FLAG OF AL-WAFD OPPOSITION PARTY PROTESTERS MARCHING CAIRO, EGYPT (FILE - JANUARY 25, 2011) (REUTERS) PROTESTERS BARRED BY SECURITY CHANTING: REVOLT REVOLT REVOLT… PROTESTER HOLDING SIGN READING: "MUBARAK DEGAGE" VARIOUS PROTESTERS CLASHING WITH POLICE POLICE FIRE TEAR GAS AT PROTESTERS CAIRO, EGYPT (FILE - JANUARY 26, 2011) (REUTERS) PROTESTERS RUNNING TRYING TO ESCAPE SECURITY FORCES POLICE DISPERSING THE PROTESTERS USING WATER CANNONS CAIRO, EGYPT (FILE - JANUARY 26, 2011) (REUTERS) PEOPLE RUNNING AS SECURITY FORCES DISPERSE PROTESTERS USING BATONS ARMOURED VEHICLE FIRING TEAR GAS PROTESTERS SCATTERING IN THE STREETS SECURITY FORCES DEPLOYING AT AL GALAA STREET IN DOWNTOWN AREA AND FIRING TEAR GAS PROTESTERS SETTING FIRE TO CAR TYRES IN ROAD BENEATH BRIDGE PEOPLE GATHERING UNDER BRIDGE / SMOKE FROM BURNING CAR TYRES BILLOWING SUEZ, EGYPT (FILE - JANUARY 28, 2011) (REUTERS) POLICE BLOCKING PROTESTERS ON A SUEZ STREET CROWD ROCKS SECURITY TRUCK SECURITY TRUCK DRIVES AWAY, RUNNING INTO PROTESTER CAIRO, EGYPT (FILE - JANUARY 28, 2011) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS MOVING AWAY FROM TEAR GAS IN STREET PROTESTERS RUNNING AWAY FROM TEAR GAS ON BRIDGE PROTESTERS TRYING TO HELP OTHER PROTESTERS WHO HAVE FAINTED FROM TEAR GAS CAIRO, EGYPT (FILE - JANUARY 29, 2011) (REUTERS) PROTESTERS WALKING NEAR PARKED TANKS VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS ON TOP OF ARMY VEHICLES ALEXANDRIA, EGYPT (FILE - JANUARY 28, 2011) (REUTERS) PROTESTERS STORMING GOVERNMENT BUILDING POLICE PICK UP TRUCK SET ABLAZE BUILDING ON FIRE POLICE TRUCK ON FIRE CAIRO, EGYPT (FILE - FEBRUARY 2, 2011) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF CROWD OF PRO-MUBARAK PROTESTERS HEADING TOWARDS THE TAHRIR SQUARE HORSES AND CAMELS WITH THE CROWD OF PRO-MUBARAK PROTESTERS BOTH SIDES THROWING STONES AT EACH OTHER CAIRO, EGYPT (FILE - FEBRUARY 2, 2011) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF INJURED PROTESTERS CAIRO, EGYPT (FILE - JANUARY 30, 2011) (REUTERS ) VARIOUS OF SOLDIERS WITH TANKS AND ARMOURED PERSONNEL CARRIERS PROTECTING THE EGYPTIAN MUSEUM
  • Embargoed: 7th December 2011 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Egypt
  • Country: Egypt
  • Topics: Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVAEIHMZ8EFH4VR38S78RVM3XRNV
  • Story Text: Inspired by the downfall of Tunisia's President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali, anti-government demonstrations erupted throughout Egypt in January 2011 as hundreds of thousands of protesters demanded an end to Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak's 30-year rule.
    Egyptian police used teargas, water canon and batons to disperse thousands of anti-government protesters in downtown Cairo.
    In all about 850 protesters were killed in the 18-day uprising.
    Tahrir Square was the rallying point for protesters in Cairo, but protesters demanding the removal of President Hosni Mubarak also confronted police and government forces elsewhere in Egypt.
    Clashes broke out in in port towns of Suez and Alexandria during the uprising.
    Mubarak appointed a new cabinet at the end of January, but protesters said too many of the old guard remained in place.
    Mubarak's vice-president and former intelligence chief Omar Suleiman announced on February 11 that Mubarak would not run again for Egypt's presidency.
    But Mubarak insisted he would serve out his six-year term working for a smooth transfer of power.
    Trial proceedings against Mubarak on charges of conspiring to kill protesters are currently on hold while the courts assess a request to change the judges' panel.
    In July, Egyptians headed to the polls to vote in a referendum on constitutional reforms.
    The constitutional amendments being voted on were drawn up by a judicial committee appointed by the military rulers to whom Mubarak handed power on February 11. They were designed to open the door to legislative and presidential elections that will allow the military to hand power to a civilian, elected government.
    The army had won popular backing during Mubarak's overthrow for maintaining order and pledging to hand power to an elected government, but support has ebbed over its use of military trials for civilians and suspicion that it wants to continue to wield the levers of power after a new government is sworn in.
    Egyptians elect a new parliament in a staggered vote that starts on November 28, but presidential powers remain with the army until a presidential poll, which may not happen until late 2012 or early 2013.
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