Europe worried about political transition in Egypt
(BRUSSELS2) While the military have dissolved the Assembly, seized legislative power and granted themselves a right of veto over the next constitution, one may wonder what the EU can do for the Egypt under these conditions. The question was indeed on everyone's lips at the Foreign Affairs Committee on Tuesday (June 19) where Hugues Mingarelli, the Director General of the diplomatic service for the Middle East and the countries of the Southern Neighborhood, was on the "grill". The situation is indeed delicate.
A number of irregularities and a contestation of the potential elections
We must already wait for the official results of the presidential election which will be announced on Thursday (June 21). The elections saw a number irregularities "but in total, that" does not seem to call into question the results ". However, if the estimates give the candidate of the Muslim Brotherhood Mohamed Morsi in the lead with around 52%, the margin is quite limited. And there is a risk that the other candidate Ahmed Shafiq (former Prime Minister under Mubarrak) contests this result on Thursday. The two candidates have, in fact, already proclaimed their respective victories. " We have good reason to have serious concerns about the political transition in Egypt explains, prudently, Hugues Mingarelli.
Big concerns... Hope the loser accepts the result
Indeed, the military, who have assumed several powers at once. They hold the legislature until the next elections, the date of which is still uncertain. First you have to form a government, write a constitution and only then organize legislative elections. They also grant themselves a right of scrutiny over the work of the next constituent assembly and if they consider that the Constitution goes against what they consider to be the superior interests of the nation, they authorize themselves to designate a new constituent assembly to draft a new text. " It is to be hoped that the loser accepts the result " THURSDAY. Then the rest takes place as planned, with the appointment of a government, a constituent assembly and finally the holding of legislative elections.
Every slippage will be sanctioned by the EU... Well maybe
« Every slip will, in one way or another, be subject to EU sanctions. But the EU's levers are limited [because] there are other more important players for Egypt. "In the meantime, the EU must repeat that it supports the political transition in Egypt and that it is ready to engage" without reservation with the elected authorities ". We must respect the result of the election, whatever it is. We must also remind the military of their promises to return power to civilians. It is also a matter of ensuring that the constituent assembly is as inclusive as possible. Finally, we must push the Egyptian authorities to put an end to the deterioration of the economic situation by accepting an agreement with the IMF which will allow the EU to trigger macro-financial assistance. Aid which should be able to be a political lever: “ I can't imagine policymakers granting macro-financial aid to a country that is turning its back on democratic transition."
