Revolutions in the Arab World - A Chance for Liberalism?

Egypt is at the heart of the current developments in the Arab World. For many, it is the driving force behind the revolutionary political movements in the Arab World and will also play a major role in reshaping the EU-Arab relations in the long run. Ronald Meinardus, Regional Director for the Middle East and Northern Africa of the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom shared his eye witness experience and explored whether the Arab revolutions are a chance for liberalism.

Ronald Meinardus was in Cairo while the anti-government protests led to the ouster of President Mubarak. In Brussels, he gave an inside view on Egypt's political developments and the main political actors’ goals and intentions. After this political earthquake, he stated, things will not go back to what they were. "The West always thought that democracy and Islam don’t go together. On January 25, we have become victims of our own stereotypes. The old prejudice that Islam and democracy are incompatible has been proven wrong”, Meinardus summarized.


Meinardus The revolutions in Egypt and Tunesia have been inspired by democratic and liberal ideas. The political changes have given birth to several first times of political action, and have opened new political spaces in Egypt. For the first time, Egyptians took part in a democratic referendum last week. For the first time, civil society plays a decisive role. And for the first time, an explicitly democratic and pluralistic system seems within grasp in the Arab world.

The masses’ call for democracy, human rights and economic opportunities is identical in many Arab countries. At the same time, we have to take into account that all states in the Arab World are different. They have their own history, their own political system, their own culture. Therefore, we should not simply assume that all other Arab countries will follow the Egyptian model", Meinardus added. Plus, there is still the possibility of a counterrevolution, he cautioned. The historic roots of the Mubarak regime have not been cut totally and there are still many people attached to the former system.

Ronald Meinardus closed with an optimistic outlook: “The Egyptian people have regained their dignity after having been harassed, tortured, and humiliated for as long as they can think. Brave young people have fought for change. Today, the voice of the Egyptian civil society is finally heard. The Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom is proud to assist and support the democratic forces in creating an open society.”

Fabian Flohr / Ellen Madeker

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