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Mohamed Morsi

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Mohamed Morsi was a significant political figure in Egypt. He served as the country's fifth president from 2012 to 2013.

Clinton-morsi
Clinton-morsi

Before entering politics, Morsi had a career as an engineer and a professor. His life spanned several decades of major change in Egypt. He was born on August 8, 1951, in the village of El Adwah. This village is located in the Sharqia Governorate, north of Cairo. His father was a farmer and his mother was a housewife.

Morsi pursued a high level of education in science and engineering. He first studied at Cairo University in the late 1960s. He earned a Bachelor of Science in engineering with high honors in 1975. After completing his military service in the chemical warfare unit, he returned to Cairo University. He earned a Master of Science in metallurgical engineering in 1978. Later, a government scholarship allowed him to study in the United States. He earned a PhD in materials science from the University of Southern California in 1982. His doctoral research focused on aluminium oxide.

Secretary Kerry Meets With Egyptian President Morsy in Addis Ababa (2)
Secretary Kerry Meets With Egyptian President Morsy in Addis Ababa (2)

His professional life included both academic and political roles. From 1982 to 1985, he was an assistant professor at California State University, Northridge. He then returned to Egypt to join the faculty at Zagazig University. He eventually became the head of the engineering department there. During this time, he grew involved with the Muslim Brotherhood. This organization was barred from holding office under President Hosni Mubarak. In 2000, Morsi ran for parliament as an independent candidate. This allowed him to participate even though his group was restricted.

Dilma Rousseff e Mohamed Morsi
Dilma Rousseff e Mohamed Morsi

The Egyptian Revolution of 2011 changed the course of his life. The revolution led to the resignation of President Hosni Mubarak. Following this, Morsi became the leader of the Freedom and Justice Party. This party was the largest in the 2011–12 parliamentary elections. Morsi emerged as the Muslim Brotherhood's candidate for president in 2012. He won the election with 51.73 percent of the vote. On June 30, 2012, he was sworn in as the first democratically elected president of Egypt. This ended 60 years of military rule.

Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel meets with Egyptian President Mohamed Morsy in Cairo, Egypt, April 24, 2013
Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel meets with Egyptian President Mohamed Morsy in Cairo, Egypt, April 24, 2013

Morsi's presidency faced many internal challenges and disagreements. In November 2012, he issued a provisional constitutional declaration. This decree granted him unrestricted authority to make laws. It was intended to prevent judges from dissolving the Second Constituent Assembly. However, many people viewed this as an "Islamist coup."

Wikimedia 2016 -30
Wikimedia 2016 -30

Critics also complained about the prosecution of journalists. These tensions led to widespread protests across the country. Morsi eventually rescinded the controversial decrees as part of a compromise. A new constitution was later approved by approximately two-thirds of voters in a referendum. However, the turnout for this vote was less than one-third of the electorate.

In June 2013, large-scale protests erupted against Morsi's leadership. Many citizens called for his resignation. The military, supported by political opponents and religious leaders, intervened. This event was a coup d'état that removed Morsi from office. The military suspended the constitution and appointed Adly Mansour as interim president.

Anti Morsi protest march at 28th June 2013
Anti Morsi protest march at 28th June 2013

Pro-Morsi demonstrations were met with force, resulting in over 800 deaths. These events marked a period of intense instability in the nation.

Morsi's later years were defined by legal battles and imprisonment. He faced various criminal charges and was sentenced to death in 2015. Amnesty International called the proceedings a "charade" based on invalid procedures. The court of cassation later overturned the death sentence in November 2016. A retrial was ordered for the former president. Morsi died on June 17, 2019, while he was in custody. There were claims that he had been denied proper medical care. His presidency remains a central topic in discussions about Egyptian democracy and political shifts.

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🖼️ Images & Media (6)
File:Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel meets with Egyptian President Mohamed Morsy in Cairo, Egypt, April 24, 2013.jpg
Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel meets...
File:Clinton-morsi.jpg
Clinton-morsi.jpg
File:Dilma Rousseff e Mohamed Morsi.JPG
Dilma Rousseff e Mohamed Morsi.JPG
File:Secretary Kerry Meets With Egyptian President Morsy in Addis Ababa (2).jpg
Secretary Kerry Meets With Egyptian...
File:Anti Morsi protest march at 28th June 2013.jpg
Anti Morsi protest march at 28th June 2013.jpg
File:Wikimedia 2016 -30.jpg
Wikimedia 2016 -30.jpg
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