Egypt’s uprising brought down the government of President Hosni Mubarak on 11 February 2011, and with it a regime that had governed the country for almost six decades.

The new Egyptian political system is far from being in place and there are many questions about whether it will in fact produce a stable democracy. There are also no clear answers about what this transition means for regional politics and Western interests. At the time of writing, the entire plan for transition has been thrown into serious question by the outbreak of sustained, mass protests in urban centres around the country and dozens of deaths.

This briefing presents the basic structure of post- Mubarak Egyptian politics; factors determining the country’s future; the new political parties and their stances as well as scenarios for the November elections; as well as the regional impact of the elections and possible outcomes.