Progress in Egypt?

The note looks at the constitutional referendum held in Egypt and on political developments in the country.

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The 77% vote in favour of an amended constitution and early elections will play into the hands of the more conservative forces in Egypt: the Muslim Brotherhood and the remnants of the Mubarak regime’s National Democratic Party

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Many commentators see tacit cooperation between these two supposed enemies in order to prevent more rapid change

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At the parliamentary election set for September 2011, a three-way split is foreseen between the former NDP, the Muslim Brotherhood and the liberal groups that powered the uprising

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If liberal groups fail to unite their forces, it may mean that they fall far short of getting a third of the seats in the new parliament

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Religious tensions have been on the rise

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Stopping the economy from collapsing may be the most important job at present.