Morsy asserts authority, defends army

August 05, 2012 10:05 am | Updated November 17, 2021 05:12 am IST - CAIRO

Egypt’s President Mohamed Morsy. File Photo

Egypt’s President Mohamed Morsy. File Photo

Egypt’s President Mohamed Morsy on Saturday gave a lengthy speech to the army in praise of its role during the run-up to his election, proclaiming that he, his government and the powerful generals will cooperate for the future.

Speaking with the head of the armed forces, Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi by his side, and hundreds troops including generals in the audience, Mr. Morsy stressed his legitimacy as Egypt’s first popularly elected president, but also acknowledged that his ascension to the office would have been impossible without the military’s support.

The words signalled an understanding between him and the army, after initial tensions during Egypt’s transition period since the ouster of Hosni Mubarak, himself a former air force commander who led the country for three decades.

Just days before Mr. Morsy was declared president, the military council, headed by Field Marshal Tantawi, stripped him of significant powers and declared themselves as the country’s legislative authority after dissolving a parliament dominated by Mr. Morsy’s Islamist Muslim Brotherhood movement.

The military, which took the reins of power after Mr. Mubarak was deposed in a popular uprising in early 2011, also has control over the process of drafting Egypt’s new constitution.

But Mr. Morsy largely avoided those issues in the Saturday speech, focusing on the military’s support for the election of a civilian president.

“The will of the people will never be against the armed forces,” he said, in a thinly veiled reference to his own office. “It is with the armed forces’ help, after God, that we will protect Egypt’s interest internally and internationally.”

“This president is the supreme head of the armed forces because of the will of the people. I will not allow anyone to offend the armed forces or this nation, or try to obstruct this democratic path which you protected,” he said.

Mr. Morsy promised he would respect the democratic process and future elections. Speaking to the generals, he said, “What I ask of you, rather what I order you, is to continue to support the democratic path in Egypt. This is important for you, your children and grandchildren.”

Aside from the struggle to assert his powers, Mr. Morsy and his new government are now entangled in a web of social and economic problems that have festered over the months of transition.

The final lineup was largely made up of technocrats, but also included a number of Islamists and members of the Brotherhood.

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