2013 Coup, Fatah El-Sisi’s Rise, and the 2014/2019 Constitutions
The military removed President Mohamed Morsi after mass protests, announced a transitional roadmap, and suspended the 2012 constitution—setting the stage for an interim presidency and constitutional rewrite.
Adly Mansour, head of the Supreme Constitutional Court, took the oath as interim president, formalizing the post-coup governing arrangement and overseeing the announced transition process.
Mansour issued a transitional constitutional declaration outlining procedures and timelines for revising the constitution and holding subsequent elections, providing a legal framework for the interim period.
Egyptian security forces violently cleared large pro-Morsi protest encampments at Rabaa al-Adawiya and al-Nahda Squares in Cairo, an event widely documented as a major mass-casualty crackdown during the post-coup unrest.
An Egyptian court ordered a ban on Muslim Brotherhood activities and directed authorities to seize the group’s assets, intensifying the crackdown on the organization after the July 2013 change in power.
Interim President Mansour signed a protest law requiring prior notification and granting the Interior Ministry broad powers over demonstrations; rights groups criticized it as undermining freedom of assembly.
Egypt’s interim government formally designated the Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist organization, enabling asset seizures and broader prosecution risk for alleged membership or support.
Voters approved a new constitution in a two-day referendum (domestic voting), replacing the 2012 constitution and reshaping the post-coup political order; official results reported about 98% approval with turnout under 40%.
Abdel Fattah el‑Sisi resigned from his post as defense minister/army chief and publicly moved toward running for president, shifting from de facto power-broker to formal electoral contender.
Presidential elections were held over multiple days, with official results showing Sisi winning an overwhelming majority against Hamdeen Sabahi, paving the way for his formal assumption of the presidency.
Sisi took the presidential oath at the Supreme Constitutional Court, ending Mansour’s interim presidency and beginning Sisi’s first presidential term under the 2014 constitutional order.
A three-day referendum approved constitutional amendments that extended presidential terms from four to six years and altered transitional provisions affecting Sisi’s tenure, potentially enabling him to remain in office longer.
