Domestic responses to the Egyptian revolution of 2011

There have been numerous domestic responses to the Egyptian revolution of 2011. Opposition parties, activists and religious bodies have been staunchly demanding Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak's resignation, with the exception of fearful Christian authorities, who called for staying away from the protests (although Christian individuals have taken part). The government has made ongoing attempts at media censorship, including briefly shutting down nearly all Internet traffic.

Mubarak has made some initial changes to quell dissent, including dissolving his government, and appointing military figure and former head of Egypt's intelligence service Omar Suleiman as vice-president. Mubarak asked aviation minister and former chief of Egypt's Air Force, Ahmed Shafiq, to form a new government. Opposition to the Mubarak regime has coalesced around Mohamed ElBaradei, with all major opposition groups, including the Muslim Brotherhood, supporting his role as a negotiator for some form of transitional unity government.

Government Before Mubarak's resignation On 29 January, the head of the Egyptian Shura Council's Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, and also a part of the ruling party, said he does not believe the protests have ended yet.Breaking News. Al Jazeera English. 29 January 2011. ~2:00

On 29 January, in response to the previous days' events, President Mubarak spoke on national television after midnight local time for the first time since the protests began. He said in his speech that despite a "point of no return" being crossed, national stability and law and order must prevail, that he had requested the government, formed only months ago, to step down, and that a new government would be formed. He made no offer to step down himself. On 29 January, Mubarak appointed Omar Suleiman, head of Egyptian Intelligence, as vice president, Al Jazeera English live broadcast, 15:24 UTC, 29 January 2011 and Ahmed Shafik as prime minister. Al Jazeera English live broadcast, 29 January 2011.

+ Positions assigned in new government Office Previous office holder New office holderStaff writer (30 January 2011). "Mubarak Hangs On to Power as Protests, Looting Convulse Egypt". CNN. Retrieved 2011-02-05. President Hosni Mubarak Hosni Mubarak Vice President vacant Omar Suleiman Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif Ahmed Shafik Minister without portfolio; GIS Chief General Omar Suleiman General Mourad Moafy Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation Amin Ahmed Mohamed Othman Abaza Ayman Farid Abo Hadid Ministry of Civil Aviation Ibrahim Manaa Ibrahim Manaa Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) Tarek Kamel Tarek Kamel Ministry of Culture Farouk Hosni * Ministry of Defense and Military Production Field Marshal Mohamed Hussein Tantawi Field Marshal Mohamed Hussein Tantawi Ministry of Civil Aviation Air Marshal Ahmed Shafiq Air Marshal Ibrahim Manaa Ministry of Education Ahmed Zaki Mostafa Badr Ahmed Zaki Mostafa Badr Ministry of Electricity and Energy Hassan Ahmed Younis Hassan Ahmed Younis Ministry of Finance Youssef Boutros-Ghali Samir Radwan Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ahmed Aboul Gheit Ahmed Aboul Gheit Ministry of Trade and Industry Rachid Mohamed Rachid Samiha Fawzy Ministry of Health and Population Hatem Mostafa Mostafa El-Gabali Ahmed Fahmy Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research Hani Mahfouz Hilal Hani Mahfouz Hilal Ministry of Information Anas El Fiqqi Anas El Fiqqi Minister of Interior General Habib El Adly General Mahmoud Wagdy Ministry of Social Solidarity Ali El-Sayed Ali Al-Moselhi Ali El-Sayed Ali Al-Moselhi Ministry of Investment Mahmoud Mohieldin Mahmoud Mohieldin Ministry of International Cooperation Fayza Aboel Naga Fayza Aboel Naga Ministry of Justice Mahmoud Marei Mahmoud Marei Ministry of Manpower and Immigration Aisha Abdel Hadi Aisha Abdel Hadi Abdel Ghani Ministry of Petroleum Sameh Fahmi Sameh Fahmi Ministry of Planning and Economic Development Osman Ahmed Osman Osman Ahmed Osman Ministry of Local Development Colonel Mohamed Abdul Salam Mahgoub Colonel Mohamed Abdul Salam Mahgoub Ministry of Religious Affairs Mahmoud Hamdi Zakzok Abdallah el Hosseny Helal Ministry of Tourism Zaher Garana Zaher Garana Ministry of Transportation Alaa Edin Mohamed Fahmy Atef Abd el Hamid Mostafa Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation Mohamed Nasr el Din Mohamed Nasr el Din Ministry of State for Administrative Development Ahmed Darwish Ahmed Darwish Ministry of State for Legal and Parliamentary Councils Mofid Shehab Mofid Shehab Ministry of State for Environmental Affairs Maged George Maged George Ministry of State for Military Production Sayed Moshaal Sayed Moshaal Ministry of State for Family and Population Moshira Khatab Moshira Khatab Governor - Central Bank of Egypt Farouk El Okda Farouk El Okda Permanent Representative to the UN, New York Maged Abd el Fatah Maged Abd el Fatah Minister without portfolio; GIS Chief General Mourad Moafy General Mourad Moafy Chairman of the Suez Canal Authority General Ahmed Fadel General Ahmed Fadel

On 9 February, Culture Minister Gaber Asfour resigned after one week in office citing health problems.

+ Positions in previous government that are unresolved Office Previous office holder Ministry of Petroleum Sameh Fahmi Ministry of Housing, Utilities, and Urban Communities Ahmed Alaa E-Din Amin El-Maghrabi

On 31 January, Mubarak swore in his new cabinet in the hope that the unrest would fade. The protesters did not leave and continued to demonstrate in Cairo's Tahrir Square to demand the downfall of Mubarak. The vice-president and the prime minister were already appointed. He told the new government to preserve subsidies, control inflation and provide more jobs.

On 1 February, Mubarak said he never intended to run for reelection in the upcoming September presidential election, though his candidacy had previously been announced by high-ranking members of his National Democratic Party

In his speech, he asked parliament for reforms:

Opposition Protester demands

Opposition and civil society activists have called for changes to a number of legal and constitutional provisions which affect elections. Specifically they call for: Amendment of Article 76 of the Constitution to make it easier for party and independent candidates to get on the presidential ballot. Amendment of Article 77 to establish term limits for the presidency, which were removed from the Constitution in 1981. Amendment of Article 88 to restore full judicial supervision of elections. This would help tame election fraud and vote rigging, which are common in Egyptian elections. Amendment of Law 177 of 2005 in order to facilitate the formation of new political parties. Amendment of Article 179: Amendments in 2007 to Article 179 included an "anti-terrorism" measure, which allows for arbitrary arrest, searches and wiretapping without warrant, and transfer of any civilian court case of the president's choosing to military tribunals. Unlike the Emergency law, it is a permanent measure and not a temporary measure requiring parliamentary approval.

In the Spring 2010, Mohamed El baradei began circulating a petition in the runup to the 2010 Egyptian parliamentary election calling for 7 specific reforms: End the state of emergency. Ensure full judicial supervision of elections. Provide for domestic and international monitoring of elections. Ensure that all candidates have sufficient access to the media, particularly during the presidential election campaign. Allow Egyptians abroad to vote through embassies and consulates. Work toward a political system built on democracy and social justice. Provide the right to nomination for political office without obstacles, in accordance with Egypt's obligations under the International Convention on Civil and Political Rights; limit the president to two terms. Allow voting by national identification card. These measures will require amending articles 76, 77, and 88 of the Constitution as soon as possible.

Muslim Brotherhood

In response to 25 January events, the Muslim Brotherhood said: "Egypt is undergoing important events where the Egyptian people started a movement in Cairo and other cities in the country expressing their anger and denouncing the practices and violations by the system." Following Mubarak's speech, the brotherhood issued a statement reiterating demands for Mubarak's resignation and saying it was time for the military to intervene. The brotherhood also said it would not be nominating a new president.

On 30 January, it called for all opposition groups to unite while blaming Mubarak for the situation. The brotherhood supports Mohammed ElBaradei's National Association for Change. On 30 January, The Guardian reported that ElBaradei has been mandated by the brotherhood and four other opposition groups to negotiate an interim "national salvation government." There were also demands by the brotherhood that Mubarak step down.

Mohammed ElBaradei

On 27 January 2011, Mohammed ElBaradei returned to Egypt amid ongoing turmoil. He declared himself ready to lead a transitional government if that was the will of the nation, saying that: "If [people] want me to lead the transition, I will not let them down".Memmot, Matt (27 January 2011). "ElBaradei Back In Egypt; Says It's Time For A New Government". The Two-Way (blog on NPR). Retrieved 1 February 2011. He called for ousting the regime, as in Tunisia. Subsequently, "when he joined protesters Friday after noon prayers, police fired water cannons at him and his supporters. They used batons to beat some of ElBaradei's supporters, who surrounded him to protect him."Staff writer (28 January 2011)."Five People Killed During Protests in Egypt". Fox News. Retrieved 1 February 2011. ElBaradei said he was "proud of the protesters" and proud of the military, who by 29 January were the only state force on the streets of Cairo, with police nowhere to be seen. There were numerous individual public displays of affection and respect for soldiers manning positions on the streets.Al Jazeera English. TV report. 29 January 2011. 12.00 GMT. He urged the US to end the "life support to the dictator" and that "It is better for President Obama not to appear that he is the last one to say to President Mubarak, 'It's time for you to go.'"

ElBaradei has also stated that "the people (of Egypt) want the regime to fall". In response to the appointment of Omar Suleiman as the new Vice President of Egypt, ElBaradei stated that it was a "hopeless, desperate attempt by Mubarak to stay in power, I think it is loud and clear...that Mubarak has to leave today". Additionally, he restated the position that when Egypt does become a democratic nation and that "there is no reason to believe that a democracy in Egypt would not lead to a better relationship with the US based on respect and equity."Zakaria, Fareed (30 January 2011). "ElBaradei: Egypt's Mubarak Must Leave" (video; requires Adobe Flash). Fareed Zakaria GPS (via CNN). Retrieved 1 February 2011.

As of 30 January, the 6 April Youth Movement, the We Are All Khaled Said Movement, the National Association for Change, the 25 January Movement and Kefaya – the main organizers of the protests – had all asked ElBaradei to act in the country's internal affairs and foreign affairs in the transitional phase, and for the formation of a temporary national salvation

Yusuf al-Qaradawi Having returned after 30 years of exile from his native country of Egypt, Yusuf al-Qaradawi in Tahrir Square proclaimed,"Egyptian people are like the genie who came out of the lamp and who have been in prison for 30 years" and, "We are not going back in until all our demands are met".

He also made assuring statements about the Coptic minority:

The regime planted sectarianism here … in Tahrir Muslims and Christians joined hands for a better Egypt