Source: The Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy
Author(s): Timothy E. Kaldas
Original Link: https://timep.org/commentary/analysis/hardened-and-brittle-egypts-authoritarian-fragility/
At the core of many states’ decisions to maintain close ties with Egypt’s ruling government and its president Abdel-Fattah El Sisi is their confidence in the strength and stability of his regime. At a time in which the region is rocked with turmoil, many foreign powers take comfort in the ostensible quiet Sisi has managed to impose on Egypt (albeit through brutal means). This expansive consolidation of power has been carried out through a strategy of patronage to a handful of individuals with whom he is personally close, including members of his family. While this helps guarantee the loyalty of those holding influence, it comes at the expense of a more diffuse and truly stable institutional system. Sisi’s grip on political power at this time is strong, but the manner in which he has consolidated and organized this power also makes it very fragile and sensitive to unexpected shocks.
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