By Alya Essam
As millions of Egyptians sat glued to TV screens listening to their new civilian president’s inaugural speech on Saturday, a wide array of public representatives were among the audience in Cairo University’s hall.
One day before he was sworn in at the Supreme Constitutional Court, Mohamed Morsi had already addressed a huge crowd at Tahrir Square saying: “I’m standing before you, Egyptian people, those who voted for me, those who opposed me… I am yours.”
In his public speeches, Morsi endeavours to make real his intentions to please everyone- and by that I mean revolutionaries, minorities and the Supreme Council for Armed Forces (SCAF).
Morsi seems to be willing to address almost all demands requested by revolutionary Egyptians.
For them Morsi represents the revolution and its objectives. Is he up to this? The new president might face obstacles when he figures out that some revolutionary demands will upset the SCAF.
On Sunday, demonstrators led a march to the presidential palace with a petition demanding the release of all detainees facing military trials.
The move came after Morsi had promised to meet the families of activists currently facing military detention and examine their cases.
The question is: how will SCAF officials react if Morsi deliberately contradicts military rule, especially amid claims that he struck a power-sharing deal to win the presidency?
Another puzzling dilemma is how Morsi will fulfill his promises to safeguard the rights of the Coptic minority, and maintain the support of the Salafist bloc that aspires to establish pure Islamist rule.
The president has repeatedly pledged to offer Christians their full rights and personal freedoms, especially after that segment of Egyptian society has been beset with an atmosphere of perplexity and fear following the victory of the Islamist candidate.
On the other side, the President has been supported by the Salafist bloc, and has met with figureheads from the Salafist front, who are all clinging to the hope that Morsi will apply Islamic law literally rather than working more loosely from the general principles of the religion.
All plights are in addition to concerns already related to Morsi and the Muslim Brotherhood.
Will he lead the country independently, shying away from any advice or consultation stemming from the Muslim Brotherhood’s general guidance bureau?
This –probably- will lead to Morsi pleasing one side at the expense of the other.
Morsi’s first 100 days have started on Saturday. And in only two days, all eyes are already wide open to examine the new president’s performance.
Egyptians have heightened their monitoring and assessment of Morsi’s moves and actions.
Cynically, the president’s competence is being measured on the online ‘Morsi Meter,’ a portal that evaluates what deliverables have been achieved and which are outstanding. Many Egyptians regard the president as a new employee in his ‘probation’ period.
With predicaments at every turn, the president is in a tight spot. He does have to weigh his options and learn to truly manifest his justice-scale presidential symbol.
Will Morsi manage to walk road less traveled without stepping on any one’s foot? Good luck Mr. President!
