2011 Egyptian revolution

2011 Egyptian revolution
Mona · CC BY 2.0 · source
Title	2011 Egyptian revolution
Partof	the Arab Spring
Caption	Protesters in Tahrir Square.
Date	25 January – 11 February 2011 (main uprising)
Place	Egypt
Causes	Political corruption, police brutality, state of emergency laws, political repression, economic stagnation, unemployment, inflation, food price rises
Goals	Resignation of Hosni Mubarak, dissolution of parliament, end of emergency law, free elections, political freedom, human rights
Methods	Civil disobedience, civil resistance, demonstrations, Internet activism, general strike, riots, self-immolation
Result	Overthrow of Mubarak government, • Resignation of Prime Ministers Ahmed Nazif and Ahmed Shafik, • Dissolution of parliament, • Suspension of the Constitution, • Military council assumes power, • Constitutional referendum, • Parliamentary and presidential elections, • Subsequent 2013 Egyptian coup d'état
Side1	Anti-government protesters:, April 6 Youth Movement, We Are All Khaled Saeed, National Association for Change, Muslim Brotherhood, Kefaya, Revolutionary Socialists, Copts
Side2	Government of Egypt:, • National Democratic Party, • Ministry of Interior, • Central Security Forces, • State Security Investigations Service
Leadfigures1	Leaderless movement, Wael Ghonim, Asmaa Mahfouz, Mohamed ElBaradei, Abdel Rahman Mansour
Leadfigures2	Hosni Mubarak, Omar Suleiman, Ahmed Nazif, Ahmed Shafik, Habib el-Adly
Casualties	846+ killed, 6,000+ injured

2011 Egyptian revolution. The 2011 Egyptian revolution was a major Arab Spring uprising that began on 25 January 2011 and culminated in the resignation of President Hosni Mubarak on 11 February. Centered in Cairo's Tahrir Square, the mass protests demanded an end to Mubarak's nearly thirty-year rule, the dissolution of the National Democratic Party, and fundamental political reforms. The eighteen-day revolt led to a transfer of power to the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces and initiated a turbulent period of transition.

Background and causes

Decades of authoritarian rule under Hosni Mubarak and the preceding Nasser and Sadat eras created widespread discontent. Key grievances included rampant political corruption, brutal tactics by the State Security Investigations Service, and the perpetual state of emergency law in effect since the assassination of Anwar Sadat. Economic stagnation, youth unemployment, and soaring food price rises exacerbated public anger. The successful Tunisian Revolution, which ousted Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, served as a direct catalyst, inspiring activists from groups like the April 6 Youth Movement and We Are All Khaled Saeed, a Facebook page created for Khaled Saeed, a victim of police brutality.

Timeline of events

The "Day of Rage" on 25 January 2011, a national holiday for the Police Day, saw massive nationwide protests organized largely through social media. By 28 January, the "Friday of Anger", hundreds of thousands occupied Tahrir Square and faced violent clashes with the Central Security Forces and Mubarak's supporters in the "Battle of the Camel". On 1 February, Mubarak announced he would not seek re-election but refused to resign immediately, further inflaming protests. Following immense pressure and strikes across Egypt, Vice President Omar Suleiman announced Mubarak's resignation on 11 February, transferring authority to the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces led by Mohamed Hussein Tantawi.

Aftermath and transition

The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces dissolved the People's Assembly and suspended the 1971 Constitution. A constitutional referendum in March approved amendments, paving the way for parliamentary elections. The subsequent 2011–2012 Egyptian parliamentary election saw a victory for the Freedom and Justice Party, the political wing of the Muslim Brotherhood. In the 2012 Egyptian presidential election, Mohamed Morsi of the Brotherhood narrowly defeated Ahmed Shafik, becoming Egypt's first democratically elected president. His tumultuous tenure ended with the 2013 Egyptian coup d'état following mass protests, led by Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.

International reactions

Global responses were mixed but pivotal. The United States, under Barack Obama, initially offered cautious support for Mubarak before calling for an "orderly transition". The European Union and individual states like the United Kingdom and France issued similar statements. Regional powers were divided; Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates expressed support for Mubarak, while Qatar's Al Jazeera provided extensive coverage sympathetic to the protesters. Israel viewed the upheaval with significant concern due to the stability of the Egypt–Israel peace treaty. The United Nations Human Rights Council condemned the violence against demonstrators.

Impact and legacy

The revolution ended the Mubarak era but failed to establish stable democratic governance, leading to a period often termed a "deep state" restoration under Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. It dramatically reshaped Egypt's political landscape, dismantling the old NDP apparatus but also leading to a severe crackdown on dissent, the Rabaa massacre, and the re-imposition of authoritarian rule. The events inspired further Arab Spring movements in Libya, Syria, and Yemen, though with vastly different outcomes. Its legacy remains deeply contested, symbolizing both the power of mass mobilization and the resilience of entrenched military and security institutions.

Category:2011 in Egypt Category:Arab Spring Category:Revolutions in Egypt