The Constitutional Court Rulings and Counter-Revolution in Egypt: An Interview with Lina Attalah

With presidential run-off elections set to take place 16-17 June 2012, Egypt's Supreme Constitutional Court affirmed the presidential candidacy of Ahmed Shafiq (Mubarak's last prime minister) and nullified the parliamentary elections from earlier this year (thus dissoliving parliament). Despite ongoing debates about the efficacy of parliamentary and presidential powers vis-a-vis SCAF and other unaccountable centers of power, the rulings represent a major victory for counter-revolutionary forces in Egypt. In this interview, Egyptian journalist Lina Attalah, who serves as managing editor of Egypt Independent, discusses how to interpret the court's rulings, the response of formal political parties (liberals, leftist, and Islamists), and what options exist for those activists seeking to advance the revolutionary demands of the Egyptian uprising. Her analysis offers important nuances to understanding the role of the Constitutional Court, the inter-play between civilian-military and secular-Islamist divides, and the political and organizational horizons of on-the-ground activists.