Egyptians are going to the polls to elect a new president. After 15 months of chaos and uncertainty, the day has finally come for Egyptians to choose their next leader. The job of the next president, however, is enormous and his mandate is still unknown.
First, the president will preside over the writing of the new constitution which will detail his job description and note how much power he actually wields. What powers will the president have, compared to the parliament that is currently dominated by Islamists? Will the president be able to determine foreign policy without checking in with the all dominant military?
Second, Egyptians' sense of personal security has been severely diminished since the revolution. Chaos on the streets continues — mugging, home invasions, and rampant stories of carjacking and kidnappings are on everyone's mind. Will the new president return law and order? Will the president be able to return dignity to the police forces that have stopped patrolling the streets for criminals?
Third, the Egyptian economy is in absolute shambles. The mainstay of Egyptian income is tourism and this vital sector has been near dormant for 15 months. Will the new president instill global confidence in Egypt? Will the new president help usher in foreign investment that has fled to safer waters? The Egyptian economy has been failing for decades, despite macroeconmic indicators of so called growth. Instead, we have seen rising inequity, poverty rates, illiteracy, unemployment, and squalor living. Will the new president bring back economic dignity to the Egyptian people, which has been lost since the time of Gamal Abdel Nasser?
A complicated job awaits the first elected leader of Egypt- will this new leader be up to these challenges?