Democracy is not an easy feat. It takes patience, intelligence, and strength. When I think about how far we come, I believe that we are on the right path to forming a democracy. I believe, however, that we need to be clear on what democracy means for Egypt.
I think our current problem is that the landscape of Egypt is too diverse. Diversity isn't neccessarily a bad thing, but when everyone, from every background is intesnely passionate about what they want, we get caught up in minor details instead of looking at the bigger picture.
Both mainstream Islamists and their secular opponents generally agree that Egypt should be governed by a democratic political system, with a government chosen through free and fair elections. But unlike Tunisia, where a similar uprising against a dictatorship resulted in a coalition of Islamist and secular parties, Egyptian political parties could not find a middle ground, making politics a violent, zero-sum game. Once in power, the democratically-elected Morsi reacted to criticism and political protest often by emulating some of the repressive practices of the former regime.
Sadly, this negative experience made many Egyptians willing to accept an indefinite period of semi-authoritarian rule, preferring a trusted strongman to the uncertainties of parliamentary politics. Sisi has proven immensely popular with people from all walks of life, who feel reassured that the army will stop a slide toward religious extremism and economic disaster. A fully-fledged democracy in Egypt marked by the rule of law is a long time away.
Although Sisi is from a military background, he is guiding the people in the right direction. The question of course is, can the Egyptian people see that?
