The youth movement that led Egypt's 25 January 2011 revolution is far from being demobilized toda... more The youth movement that led Egypt's 25 January 2011 revolution is far from being demobilized today. It is currently undergoing an institutionalization process as several new political parties representing the youth are being founded. Indeed, political empowerment and inclusion of the youth in the democratic process are important for the success of the current transitional process. No less important would be for them to find a balance between street politics and conventional politics. Only then could the youth present a viable political force that is strong enough to effectively participate in and influence the formal political process. The new youth-dominated parties, however, face an array of challenges. The internal cohesion of some is threatened by differences of political opinion. Structural weaknesses and lack of organizational capacities hinders the ability of others to perform effectively. Capacity-building, political education and leadership skills will be crucial for these parties to become effective players in Egypt’s transition.
“Solidarność” (Poland), “Civil Forum” (Czech Republic), “Otpor” (Serbia)… etc., are actors that h... more “Solidarność” (Poland), “Civil Forum” (Czech Republic), “Otpor” (Serbia)… etc., are actors that have a special significance in Egypt. Egyptian political activists have certainly been inspired by the Eastern European experience and have usually dreamt about achieving similar political changes. With the 25th of January Revolution, this dream has become a reality. Egypt is currently passing through a very critical time in its history and the Eastern Europe transition to democracy is more relevant than ever. Let us first look at steps that lead to Egyptian revolution and then draw possible lessons from Eastern Europe.
In the aftermath of the Egyptian revolution, the number of labor protests has increased sharply a... more In the aftermath of the Egyptian revolution, the number of labor protests has increased sharply and added to an already dire economic situation. Undoubtedly, this escalation reflects both the culmination of the social problems in general and labor's representation crisis in particular. The organization of the labor movement via the establishment of new trade unions that are truly representative of the labor force would be the most effective solution. It would decrease the expansion of irregular workers' protests as well as help in realizing greater »social justice« – one of the main demands of the January 25 revolution and an essential component for stabilizing Egypt's transition. Moreover, the consolidation of new unions would be an important step toward the empowerment of civil society, and thus add to democratization. However, Egypt's new unions are facing several challenges that hinder their capacity to represent the workers effectively and keep them in a state of legal limbo. The lack of official recognition harms their legitimacy on the ground and they face several obstacles to the institutionalization process. Therefore, supporting the capacity-building of newly established trade unions is crucial for establishing an effective labor representation in Egypt and for supporting the Egyptian transition process.
The youth movement that led Egypt's 25 January 2011 revolution is far from being demobilized toda... more The youth movement that led Egypt's 25 January 2011 revolution is far from being demobilized today. It is currently undergoing an institutionalization process as several new political parties representing the youth are being founded. Indeed, political empowerment and inclusion of the youth in the democratic process are important for the success of the current transitional process. No less important would be for them to find a balance between street politics and conventional politics. Only then could the youth present a viable political force that is strong enough to effectively participate in and influence the formal political process. The new youth-dominated parties, however, face an array of challenges. The internal cohesion of some is threatened by differences of political opinion. Structural weaknesses and lack of organizational capacities hinders the ability of others to perform effectively. Capacity-building, political education and leadership skills will be crucial for these parties to become effective players in Egypt’s transition.
“Solidarność” (Poland), “Civil Forum” (Czech Republic), “Otpor” (Serbia)… etc., are actors that h... more “Solidarność” (Poland), “Civil Forum” (Czech Republic), “Otpor” (Serbia)… etc., are actors that have a special significance in Egypt. Egyptian political activists have certainly been inspired by the Eastern European experience and have usually dreamt about achieving similar political changes. With the 25th of January Revolution, this dream has become a reality. Egypt is currently passing through a very critical time in its history and the Eastern Europe transition to democracy is more relevant than ever. Let us first look at steps that lead to Egyptian revolution and then draw possible lessons from Eastern Europe.
In the aftermath of the Egyptian revolution, the number of labor protests has increased sharply a... more In the aftermath of the Egyptian revolution, the number of labor protests has increased sharply and added to an already dire economic situation. Undoubtedly, this escalation reflects both the culmination of the social problems in general and labor's representation crisis in particular. The organization of the labor movement via the establishment of new trade unions that are truly representative of the labor force would be the most effective solution. It would decrease the expansion of irregular workers' protests as well as help in realizing greater »social justice« – one of the main demands of the January 25 revolution and an essential component for stabilizing Egypt's transition. Moreover, the consolidation of new unions would be an important step toward the empowerment of civil society, and thus add to democratization. However, Egypt's new unions are facing several challenges that hinder their capacity to represent the workers effectively and keep them in a state of legal limbo. The lack of official recognition harms their legitimacy on the ground and they face several obstacles to the institutionalization process. Therefore, supporting the capacity-building of newly established trade unions is crucial for establishing an effective labor representation in Egypt and for supporting the Egyptian transition process.
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