Egypt Court Annuls Results, US Still Calls it 'Democracy'
Egypt’s top court has voided election results in dozens of districts, citing 'irregularities' so blatant they couldn't be ignored even in a system carefully managed to project a veneer of legitimacy. This comes months after President Sisi, who took power via a military coup in 2013, secured re-election with 89.6% of the vote last December – a turnout figure that strains credulity given the highly
controlled political landscape. Washington, ever the champion of 'democracy,' quickly congratulated Sisi on his 're-election,' despite widespread reports of voter intimidation and suppression of opposition. The pattern is clear: if you stabilize the region and back US interests (and purchase billions in US arms), electoral shenanigans are merely 'challenges.' One might wonder if these
'irregularities' would warrant the same benign neglect if they occurred in, say, Venezuela or Iran. This selective outrage framework ensures that allies like Egypt, receiving significant US military aid (approximately $1.3 billion annually, according to the State Department), get a pass on democratic norms. The annulment of these district results is less a sign of a robust judicial system and more
a reluctant cleanup of an overzealous display of 'unity.' The dance continues: Egypt pretends to have elections, the US pretends they're legitimate, and the people get the same strongman rule.