Politics & Diplomacy

Egyptians, Divided Again, Vote on a Constitution

By New Atlanticist

Millions of Egyptians voted this week on a new constitution, a referendum that may help decide whether the country of 80 million people – for centuries a fulcrum of the Arab world – might return soon to a semblance of political stability. Several parties boycotted the poll, the first nationwide vote of any kind since the […]

Egypt’s Draft Constitution and Referendum: Useful Links

By EgyptSource

As Egypt’s expatriate community has completed voting, with a 15 percent voter turnout, and a 97.4 percent approval rate, and the country’s governorates gear up for a two-day referendum on the 2013 draft constitution on January 14 and 15, below are useful links to get up to speed on the text of the constitution and […]

Key Questions on Egypt’s Upcoming Referendum [Update]

As Egypt prepares to go to the polls once again, voting for a second constitution in the span of three years, following are key updates on the referendum taking place on January 14 and 15: 

The Gulf is a Flashpoint for Cyber Conflict

By James Andrew Lewis, CSIS

Cyberattack is a new tool of national power. It provides a means of coercion, influence, and warfare.

The New Draft Constitution Part III: A Reactive Constitution

By Yussef Auf

Despite an increasingly volatile security situation and political climate, Egyptians are heading to the polls for the third time in less than three years to cast their votes on a new constitution. Given the state of the country however, the referendum will hardly be an accurate reflection of the text of the constitution itself. However, […]

The Half-Full Cup of Egypt’s New Constitution

By Tamer Nagy Mahmoud

Within days, Egyptians are going to vote in a public referendum on an amended proposed constitution, the nation’s second in two years. The proposed document includes a number of significant improvements as compared to the now-suspended 2012 constitution. 

Richard LeBaron on Opportunities for the Gulf in Egypt

By EgyptSource

Writing for MENASource, Richard LeBaron, a Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East, highlights the opportunities available to the Gulf countries, namely Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates, to redefine their role in the Middle East, particularly when it comes to addressing the question of Egypt’s faltering economy. 

Gulf Leadership Needed in Egypt, Not Just Cash

By Richard LeBaron

Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates have been generous donors to Egypt over the last year, supporting the military efforts to neutralize the Muslim Brotherhood and allowing the Egyptian economy to limp along.

Europe’s Ukrainian Blunder

By Joschka Fischer, Project Syndicate

After [Vladimir] Putin succeeded Boris Yeltsin as President of the Russian Federation, he followed three strategic goals, which he continues to pursue

The Quest for Minority Rights in Egypt

By Jayson Casper

Coptic Christians have reason to celebrate… alone. While they and many others rejoice at the removal of the overall Islamist tinge of the 2012 constitution, this largely liberal-produced draft leaves other religious minorities out in the cold.