Inside Story

Egypt: New leader, but what’s next?

New Egyptian president says there will be no reconciliation with those who committed crimes.

Egypt’s new President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi was sworn into office in Cairo on Sunday.

To his supporters, who had gathered in their thousands in Tahrir Square to celebrate his inauguration, Sisi is the man who will restore stability after years of political turmoil. But his critics fear he will become yet another authoritarian president in a long history of military leaders in Egypt.

During his innauguration ceremony, Sisi promised to meet the people’s demands for democracy. However, he also said “fighting terrorism” will be a top priority for his government, and that he would not reconcile with those who have “committed crimes”.

Many see that as a warning for the Muslim Brotherhood, which was designated a terrorist organisation last year and many of its leaders and members were jailed.

Egypt has been hit by a wave of attacks in recent months targeting mainly the police and security personnel. With Sisi making security his main priority, we ask: Is he capable of putting an end to the turmoil in Egypt?

Presenter: Hazem Sika

Guests:

Moktar Kamel, president of the Alliance of Egyptian Americans.

Ashraf Abdel Ghaffar, senior leader of the Muslim Brotherhood.

Hisham Kassem, journalist and publisher and former chairman of the Egyptian Organisation for Human Rights