Tag: Egypt

What if there are democratic elections and the people choose a regime that violates the principles of Western human rights? What happens if, after tremendous Western effort to force democratic elections, the electorate chooses to reject Western values and pursue a very different direction? George Friedman, leading expert at Stratfor, the US intelligence consulting firm, offers a view on recent development in Egypt.

Massive violence against Christian Copts in Egypt and the ransacking of a TV station in Tunisia by Islamists is raising the long-avoided question whether the Arab spring has opened the door to democracy or to cultural and religious intolerance instead.

The European Union is not instigating revolution in the Arab world, nor is it trying to impose its values. But once people in Tunisia, Egypt and other counties have embarked on the road to reform, the EU will not allow these revolutions to be stolen, Enlargement and neighbourhood Policy Commissioner Štefan Füle told EurActiv in an exclusive interview.

Egypt's transition to democracy after 30 years of authoritarian rule faces a major test on Saturday (19 March) when Egyptians vote in a referendum on amendments to the constitution, while the European Union plans to adopt sanctions against former Egyptian officials accused of stashing billions of dollars abroad next week, an EU official said yesterday (15 March).

The head of France's far right National Front party, Marine Le Pen, criticised yesterday (14 March) what she described as slack controls that had allowed tens of thousands of clandestine immigrants into Europe through Sicily.

Europe should provide long-term assistance for the democratic and economic development of the southern Mediterranean's post-dictatorship governments, argues German Green politician Joschka Fischer, a former foreign minister and vice-chancellor.

Events in Libya are different from those in Tunisia and Egypt and could eventually lead to civil war there, according to global intelligence company Stratfor. This could in turn have a profound impact on other countries in the region and affect the political stability of the whole Middle East, warns Stratfor in a commentary.

Inspired by revolts that have toppled Arab rulers in Tunisia and Egypt, protesters in Bahrain, Libya and Yemen have taken to the streets to demand the resignations of their own heads of state. The European Parliament yesterday (16 February) debated the unfolding events.

The European Commission said yesterday (13 February) that it would help Rome to cope with the "exceptional pressure" created by thousands of illegal immigrants fleeing Tunisia for the Italian island of Lampedusa. Malta expressed fear that it would also become a landing point.

Events in Egypt have brought the world to a turning point, according to Rosemary Hollis, a professor at London's City University, and Europe can't have it both ways. If the EU wants Arabian trade and energy, she told EurActiv, it will have to end its complicity with dictators and accept more migrants from the Middle East.  

Torn between opposite views on whether the transition in Egypt should take place with or without the battered Egyptian leader Hosni Mubarak, EU leaders adopted a toothless declaration at their summit meeting today (4 February).

While Egypt's anti-government protesters gather today (1 February) for a million-strong march to oust President Hosni Mubarak, EU ministers adopted a carefully worded declaration calling on the Egyptian authorities to embark on an orderly transition process. 

EU foreign affairs chief Catherine Ashton called today (27 January) on the Egyptian authorities to exercise restraint after street violence escalated. Prominent Egyptian reform campaigner Mohamed ElBaradei said he was ready to assume power in Egypt if the people called for him to do so.