State crisis in Egypt in 1952
The state crisis in Egypt in 1952 describes the civil war-like conditions in the Kingdom of Egypt with Sudan between January and June 1952. The crisis led to a month-long blockade of the political system of the empire and triggered the " July 23rd Revolution ", which led to the overthrow of the Egyptian - Sudanese King Faruq and led to the " Free Officers Movement " coming to power .
trigger
After the hasty withdrawal of the British from Egypt in 1946, who occupied the country during the Second World War , a severe economic crisis broke out, which led to the impoverishment of large parts of the population and the emergence of radical anti-colonialism and nationalism in the Egyptian-Sudanese population . This ultra-nationalism was reinforced by the Egyptian defeat in the Palestinian war against the newly formed state of Israel . As a result, the strong social tensions that had existed in Egypt since the Second World War intensified. As the Cold War began , the Egyptian government tried to take a neutral and anti-communist course and persuade the former colonial power Great Britain to withdraw peacefully from the Middle East and North Africa . On October 8, 1951, Prime Minister Mustafa-Nahhas Pasha announced the Anglo-Egyptian Treaty of 1936 , which had guaranteed Great Britain the right to station troops in the Suez Canal zone. On October 16, King Faruq assumed the title of King of Egypt and the Sudan , which had been the unofficial title of the Egyptian monarchs since 1922. The termination of the contract and the acceptance of the Sudanese royal title sparked a new national high spirits. From 1951 there were war-like clashes between British and Egyptian troops and Egyptian rioters (so-called Anglo-Egyptian War ) on the Suez Canal and in Sudan .
course
The beginning of the crisis marked the killing of 50 Egyptian auxiliary policemen in Ismailia by British troops on 24/25. January 1952. The public excitement over the inaction of the Egyptian government and the king led to nationwide unrest from January 25th, which in the Cairo fires , in which parts of the European center were destroyed, numerous shops were looted and foreign residents were attacked and killed , ended up. On January 27, Mustafa an-Nahhas, who condemned the violence, submitted his resignation. Although a large part of the large Wafd party and the Egyptian-Sudanese aristocracy also condemned this, there were also numerous influential sympathizers and supporters of a possible revolution against the British occupation of the Suez Canal in their ranks. This fact led to a deep split in the political elite of the empire. As a result, King Faruq filled ministerial and government posts alternately with representatives from both camps. In the following months, the monarch ruled with three short-lived governments ( Ali Maher Pasha (January 27 - March 1), Ahmad Naguib Hilali Pasha (March 2 - June 29, again July 22 - 23) and Hussein Sirri Pasha (July 2nd - 20th)) largely bypasses Parliament. During these governments there were numerous demonstrations and acts of violence, including terrorist attacks by the Muslim Brotherhood and political killings. The king declared martial law . There were a press censorship introduced and the assembly and freedom of expression is limited.
On July 16, 1952, Faruq's planned parliamentary elections were canceled because he feared an anti-monarchist majority in parliament. This step caused indignation across the country and indignation in the democratic camp. Faruq was even accused abroad of wanting to establish a royal dictatorship , but this has been refuted.
consequences
In order to break the political blockade and restore stability in the country, the military finally began a bloodless military coup against Faruq in the early morning of July 23, 1952 . The leaders were the two free officers, Colonel Gamal Abdel Nasser and General Muhammad Nagib . On July 26th, Faruq abdicated. His underage son Fu'ad II became king for one year. On July 18, 1953, the republic was proclaimed and Sudan was separated from Egypt in 1953/54.
See also
literature
- Dolf Sternberger, Bernhard Vogel, Dieter Nohlen, Klaus Landfried (eds.): The election of parliaments and other state organs / Volume II: Africa: Political organization and representation in Africa De Gruyter, 1978, ISBN 978-3-11-004518-5 .