André Azzam

Thousands of young people continue to protest in Tahrir Square against the military supreme council. Yesterday, General Tantawi accepted the resignation of PM Sharaf and his cabinet but is not planning to give up power. Egyptian expert André Azzam looks at the difficult pre-election situation in a country that has no history of free and fair elections. A victory by Islamist parties haunts many Egyptians, especially Copts. Clashes in Alexandria result in one death.

The country is the scene of daily demonstrations, economic uncertainty and political chaos. The massacre of Copts, Gaddafi’s demise and the rise of Muslim fundamentalists, who could get half the seats in the next parliament, are factors of instability and concern in a country on a path towards democracy.

Tens of thousands of police agents guarded Coptic churches as Christians overcame their fear and went to church. New threats appear on radical Islamic sites. Many point the finger at the government, calling on the authorities to stop the wave of fundamentalism that is undermining coexistence in the Egypt as well as its economy and society. The Catholic Church offers suggestions on what to do, demanding equal treatment for Christians and Muslims as well as reforms to the school system, a stop to discrimination and a crackdown on media and preachers that spread hatred.