In this image released by the Egyptian President, Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi, bottom center, addresses the 67th session of the United Nations General Assembly at U.N. headquarters, Wednesday, Sept. 26, 2012.CAIRO – As Egypt’s new president Mohammed Morsi strikes an assertive pose on the world stage, some Egyptians fear they may have replaced one authoritarian leader with another.
Critics say Morsi – the nation’s first democratically elected president – seeks a monopoly over decision-making and has accepted an aura of invincibility bestowed by the official media.
Fueling the unease is Morsi’s failure to deliver on any of his key campaign promises, including resolution in his first 100 days in office of five of the nation’s most pressing problems: deteriorating security, shortages of fuel and subsidized bread, inadequate garbage collection and traffic.
Morsi, who in June became the first Islamist ever to occupy the top post after longtime ruler Hosni Mubarak was ousted by a popular uprising last year, faces extremely high expectations.
He has risen to power at a time when Egyptians have found the voice to demand social justice, freedoms and jobs after decades of perceived oppression, inequality and exploitation at the hands of Mubarak’s regime and a small clique of powerful businessmen.