Publications

In the more than two generations since the Free Officers Revolution in Egypt in 1952, the Egyptian regime has been relatively stable. This stability rested on the combination of a strong leader, the army’s support for the regime in exchange for significant benefits, and support for the opposition, which was perceived as dangerous to the regime. Several elements in this general picture of stability posed a threat to the regime: economic distress created perpetual potential for unrest, which indeed erupted for short periods from time to time, and the Islamic opposition occasionally constituted a danger to the regime, as in the murder of President Sadat and the wave of terrorist attacks carried out by its radical wing, mainly in the 1990s. The regime, however, was able to cope with these threats and maintain its control.The overthrow of the Mubarak regime ended this period of stability, and ushered in a period of uncertainty in Egypt.