From Revolution to Coup: Civil-Military Relations in the New Egypt

The Egypt revolution managed to overthrow the Mubarak regime; but soon after, the military took possession of the political atmosphere through the military coup against Mohammad Morsi’s government. In the post-revolution space, whatever has shaped the civil-military relations in Egypt is the method of interactions between the Supreme Council of Armed Forces with the Muslim Brotherhood and other civil forces engaged in the revolution, including the liberal, secular and left parties. In the final analysis, the way the military reacted to the revolution is tightly related to the level of army’s institutionalization and professionalism on one hand and its relations to the society body (integration of the military in civil processes), on the other hand.The high institutionalization, professionalism and non-ideological army, together with expansive interaction of the military with the society, led to the acceptance of the revolution by the Armed Forces- however hesitingly and after necessary bargaining and securing its positions. The necessity to establish stability and control of political activism of the Egyptian society, shift in the balance of forces against the Muslim Brotherhood and finally sustaining the financial interests and special rights in determining foreign and defensive policies, drove the military towards direct interference in politics and overthrow of the government under protection of the Muslim Brotherhood in shape of the military coup.