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Where is Egypt's Juan Carlos?

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  • Where is Egypt's Juan Carlos?

    With the way the current course of events in Egypt are going, it seems as if Mubarak will be removed from power and El-Baradei may become the leader of Egypt.

    However, there is the problem that an appointment of El-Baradei will seem like an undemocratic move, and El-Baradei may be bound to do things that struggle with his conscience and undermine him among the general Egyptian population, if he is appointed by Mubarak.

    In 1975, with Franco of Spain dying, he appointed Juan Carlos as his successor - the grandson of the former king. As Franco was theoretically a regent, in the same practice as Miklos Horthy for the absent Habsburg emperor in Hungary from the 1920s - 1944, this move had legitimacy to those who supported Franco's faction among the Spanish population and the governing elite.

    As we know, Juan Carlos went on to reintroduce democracy into Spain and retreat from power, and in doing so, won himself legitimacy and respectability among the population with regards to having a monarch. This may or may not have been Franco's intention to begin with.

    So, the question is: who is Egypt's Juan Carlos? Perhaps a general in Mubarak's clique with true democratic aspirations for Egypt, who can be appointed by Mubarak to save face for himself, and save face for El-Baradei when/if he takes power. This man could then retreat to being the head of the Egyptian military as a hallowed figure who surrendered power and allied himself to the democratic forces at work in Egypt.
    "Every man has his weakness. Mine was always just cigarettes."

  • #2
    There isn't one, that is the problem.

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    • #3
      Originally posted by Ironduke
      Is there a Juan Carlos in Egypt?
      King Fuad II, but he doesn't live in Egypt.
      To be Truly ignorant, Man requires an Education - Plato

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      • #4
        Originally posted by JAD_333 View Post
        King Fuad II, but he doesn't live in Egypt.
        Egypt is a revolutionary Arab state, since the 50s - they have destroyed the legitimacy of their monarchy to the population, as far as I'm aware. It would be almost like Turkey bringing institution of the Ottoman emperor-caliph.

        Franco, like Horthy, always claimed to be a regent ruling over a kingdom. Franco was "regent" for the Spanish king, and Horthy was a "regent" for the Habsburg emperor.
        "Every man has his weakness. Mine was always just cigarettes."

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        • #5
          The royalty of the arab states dont have long royal lineages but are mostly recent creations. They were local hereditary chiftains or governors upgraded to the status of royalty after the demise of the Ottoman Empire. The former kingdoms were shortlived after European protectorship was wthdrawn. eg, Hejaz, Yemeni emirates, Libya, Iraq, Madagascar. Most of the kings / royal families did not stay in power for a sufficient period of time to gain public acceptance and legitimacy that long reigning monarchies seem to have.

          An additional deterrent is that most governments that overthrew the royalty banished the Royal families. This distanced the royalty from their former subjects and the out of sight out of mind scenario meant that over the last 30-40 years the royalty lost its relevance except being a historical footnote.

          A repeat of a Juan Carlos has been attempted multiple times in the former communist countries of Europe with no success and the same is will hold good for Egypt.

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          • #6
            Originally posted by Ironduke View Post
            Egypt is a revolutionary Arab state, since the 50s - they have destroyed the legitimacy of their monarchy to the population, as far as I'm aware. It would be almost like Turkey bringing institution of the Ottoman emperor-caliph.

            Franco, like Horthy, always claimed to be a regent ruling over a kingdom. Franco was "regent" for the Spanish king, and Horthy was a "regent" for the Habsburg emperor.
            Hell, I thought you were just horsing around.
            To be Truly ignorant, Man requires an Education - Plato

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            • #7
              Originally posted by Ironduke View Post
              With the way the current course of events in Egypt are going, it seems as if Mubarak will be removed from power and El-Baradei may become the leader of Egypt.
              Disagree with mubarak being removed. he's staying till the end of his term. You notice the violence ratcheting up recently. That's the empire striking back. He's made his speech, he's laid out how its going to be. He's got the support of Israel & the US. The show is over, until the next elections in September. This also makes him defacto interim leader until things settle down and various parties emerge to contest the next election.

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