# Canonical recap data for 2011 Egyptian Revolution (2011)
# Source: https://recap.at/2011/2011-egyptian-revolution
# Format: YAML 1.2 (UTF-8). Generated at request time.
slug: 2011-egyptian-revolution
canonicalUrl: "https://recap.at/2011/2011-egyptian-revolution"
title: 2011 Egyptian Revolution
aliases:
- Tahrir Square uprising
- Egyptian Spring
- January 25 Revolution
- Thawra (The Revolution)
subtitle: ""
recapType: global_event
eventStatus: concluded
startDate: 2011-01-01
datePrecision: year
year: 2011
decade: 2010
country:
name: Egypt
slug: egypt
summaryShort: Egyptians across Cairo, Alexandria, and Suez rose up in January 2011, forcing President Hosni Mubarak from power after 30 years of authoritarian rule.
summaryLong: |-
  On January 25, 2011, tens of thousands of Egyptians poured into the streets to challenge Hosni Mubarak's three-decade grip on power. The protests, coordinated partly through Facebook and Twitter, converged on Tahrir Square in Cairo-a focal point that would define the uprising for the next 18 days. Initial calls for reform evolved into explicit demands for Mubarak's resignation as crowds swelled to hundreds of thousands, shutting down the capital and rippling across the country.

  The government's response escalated from water cannons to live ammunition. Security forces killed hundreds during the uprising; Human Rights Watch documented at least 846 deaths during the 18-day period, though Egyptian government sources and independent investigations later recorded substantially higher tolls, with credible estimates ranging from approximately 846 to over 2,600 depending on methodology and scope., while internet blackouts and mass arrests failed to extinguish the movement. On January 28, Friday prayers became a flashpoint; Mubarak declared a curfew but protesters ignored it. The military deployed tanks, yet many soldiers showed reluctance to fire on civilians. By early February, Mubarak announced he would not seek reelection-a concession that fell short of his immediate departure.

  Mubarak's final stand lasted until February 11, when he stepped down after mounting pressure and a particularly massive demonstration in Tahrir Square. The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces assumed interim control, setting off a complex transition period. Celebrations erupted across Egypt, but the revolution's outcome remained uncertain. Early promises of swift elections and democratic reform would soon collide with military entrenchment and internal divisions within the opposition.

  The uprising resonated far beyond Egypt's borders. Protests in Tunisia had already ousted President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali weeks earlier, and Cairo's success emboldened activists across the Arab world. Libya, Yemen, Syria, and Bahrain all saw mass mobilizations within weeks. Western governments, many of which had supported Mubarak as a regional ally, scrambled to recalibrate their positions. The revolution's ripple effects would reshape Middle Eastern politics for years-sometimes toward greater openness, often toward new forms of instability.

  Within Egypt itself, the immediate aftermath proved complicated. The military-led transition led to the Muslim Brotherhood's electoral victories in 2012, the brief presidency of Mohamed Morsi, and ultimately a return to military rule under Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. Yet the revolution had shattered a fundamental pillar of Mubarak's authority: the notion that he was immovable. It demonstrated, at least temporarily, that streets could still remake politics.
lede: In January 2011, Egyptians took over Tahrir Square in Cairo and cities across the country, demanding an end to President Hosni Mubarak's 30-year authoritarian rule. Over 18 days of mass protests, strikes, and clashes with security forces, the uprising forced Mubarak to resign on February 11-a stunning reversal that inspired similar rebellions across the Arab world and exposed the fragility of regimes thought to be untouchable.
heroImageUrl: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ef/Tahrir_Square_during_8_February_2011.jpg/1280px-Tahrir_Square_during_8_February_2011.jpg"
heroImageCredit: Wikipedia · "2011 Egyptian revolution"
importance: 50
sourceConfidence: 50
keyFacts:
- label: Duration
  value: 18 days (January 25 – February 11, 2011)
- label: Primary location
  value: Tahrir Square, Cairo
- label: Deaths (verified)
  value: 846 confirmed by Human Rights Watch; broader investigations by Egyptian health officials and independent researchers documented higher tolls, with credible estimates ranging up to 2,600+ depending on methodology and inclusion of protest-related deaths beyond the square itself.
- label: Years of Mubarak's rule ended
  value: 30 years
- label: Estimated peak crowd in Tahrir Square
  value: 2 million (February 8–10)
- label: Date Mubarak resigned
  value: February 11, 2011
- label: Major cities affected
  value: Cairo, Alexandria, Suez, Giza, Ismailia
- label: Internet blackout duration
  value: ~5 days (January 28 – February 2)
timeline:
- date: 2011-01-25
  title: Day of Revolt
  description: Thousands of Egyptians converge on Tahrir Square and protest sites across Cairo, Alexandria, Suez, and other cities. Initial estimates suggest 15,000–20,000 in the square by evening. Police use water cannons and tear gas.
- date: 2011-01-28
  title: Friday of Anger
  description: After noon prayers, crowds swell to hundreds of thousands across multiple cities. Mubarak imposes a curfew but protesters ignore it. Security forces open fire; dozens are killed in clashes across Cairo and other cities.
- date: 2011-01-28
  title: Internet blackout begins
  description: Egypt's government cuts off internet and mobile data access nationwide to disrupt protest coordination.
- date: 2011-01-29
  title: Military deployment
  description: Mubarak orders the military into Cairo and other cities. Tanks appear in Tahrir Square; many soldiers show reluctance to confront civilians. The move paradoxically strengthens protester resolve.
- date: 2011-02-01
  title: Tuesday of Departure
  description: Rumors circulate that Mubarak may step down. Internet service partially restored. Crowds in Tahrir Square reach estimated 1 million. Mubarak remains silent.
- date: 2011-02-02
  title: Camel march
  description: Pro-Mubarak supporters on horseback and camels charge into Tahrir Square, sparking violent clashes with protesters. Eyewitness accounts and media footage fuel international outrage.
- date: 2011-02-10
  title: Speech and ambiguity
  description: Mubarak delivers a defiant televised address, announcing he will not seek reelection but stating he will remain in office. The speech backfires; crowds interpret it as refusal to leave.
- date: 2011-02-11
  title: Mubarak resigns
  description: Vice President Omar Suleiman announces on state television that Hosni Mubarak has stepped down and transferred authority to the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces. Celebrations erupt across Egypt.
- date: 2011-02-13
  title: SCAF assumes control
  description: The military-led Supreme Council of the Armed Forces dissolves parliament and suspends the constitution, promising new elections within six months.
sources: []
related: []
relationships:
- targetSlug: camp-david-accords-1978
  type: responded_to
  confidence: 65
  evidence: The 1978 Camp David Accords' peace agreement between Egypt and Israel became a source of long-term resentment among Egyptians who felt Mubarak had subordinated nationalist interests to a U.S.-brokered deal; the 2011 uprising rejected that legacy of regime alignment with Western and Israeli interests.
  source: ai
- targetSlug: taliban-takeover-afghanistan-2021
  type: echoed
  confidence: 52
  evidence: Both upheavals demonstrated the limits of military intervention and state-building when internal forces (mass movement in Egypt, Taliban resurgence in Afghanistan) reassert control; each exposed how externally-imposed governance structures can collapse or be reversed.
  source: ai
- targetSlug: storming-of-bastille
  type: caused_by
  confidence: 75
  evidence: Timeline of "2011 Egyptian Revolution" references "French Revolution Begins (Storming of the Bastille)" (2 shared tokens incl. title anchor).
  source: ai
- targetSlug: israeli-independence
  type: caused_by
  confidence: 75
  evidence: Timeline of "2011 Egyptian Revolution" references "Israeli Independence & State Proclaimed" (2 shared tokens incl. title anchor).
  source: ai
- targetSlug: six-day-war
  type: caused_by
  confidence: 75
  evidence: "Timeline of \"2011 Egyptian Revolution\" references \"Six-Day War: Israel's Strategic Victory\" (2 shared tokens incl. title anchor)."
  source: ai
gallery:
- url: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/09/Tahrir_Square_-_February_10%2C_2011.png/1280px-Tahrir_Square_-_February_10%2C_2011.png"
  thumbnailUrl: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/09/Tahrir_Square_-_February_10%2C_2011.png/800px-Tahrir_Square_-_February_10%2C_2011.png"
  caption: Tahrir Square - February 10, 2011
  credit: Jonathan Rashad
  width: 720
  height: 462
  alt: An aerial nighttime photograph shows massive crowds of protesters densely packed in and around Tahrir Square in Cairo, with temporary structures and barriers visible in the center, illuminated by streetlights and vehicle headlights during the 2011 Egyptian Revolution.
- url: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/27/The_lion_of_Egyptian_revolution_%28Qasr_al-Nil_Bridge%29-edit2.jpg/1280px-The_lion_of_Egyptian_revolution_%28Qasr_al-Nil_Bridge%29-edit2.jpg"
  thumbnailUrl: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/27/The_lion_of_Egyptian_revolution_%28Qasr_al-Nil_Bridge%29-edit2.jpg/800px-The_lion_of_Egyptian_revolution_%28Qasr_al-Nil_Bridge%29-edit2.jpg"
  caption: The lion of Egyptian revolution (Qasr al-Nil Bridge)-edit2
  credit: |-
    The_lion_of_Egyptian_revolution_(Qasr_al-Nil_Bridge).jpg:
    Kodak Agfa from Egypt

    derivative work: Jbarta (talk)
  width: 1557
  height: 2013
  alt: A young man stands atop a large stone lion statue holding the Egyptian flag aloft against a clear blue sky during the 2011 Egyptian Revolution.
- url: "https://web.archive.org/web/20260206194617/https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/34/Tahrir_Square_on_July_29_2011.jpg/1280px-Tahrir_Square_on_July_29_2011.jpg"
  thumbnailUrl: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/34/Tahrir_Square_on_July_29_2011.jpg/800px-Tahrir_Square_on_July_29_2011.jpg"
  caption: Tahrir Square on July 29 2011
  credit: Ahmed Abd El-Fatah from Egypt
  width: 4928
  height: 3264
  alt: An aerial view of Tahrir Square in Cairo densely packed with hundreds of thousands of protesters during the 2011 Egyptian Revolution, with white tents and Egyptian flags visible throughout the massive crowd, surrounded by multi-story urban buildings and the city skyline in the background.
- url: "https://live.staticflickr.com/5137/5409842361_132d675dd2_b.jpg"
  thumbnailUrl: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ef/Tahrir_Square_during_8_February_2011.jpg/800px-Tahrir_Square_during_8_February_2011.jpg"
  caption: Tahrir Square during 8 February 2011
  credit: Mona
  width: 1600
  height: 1200
  alt: A large white banner with green Arabic text is held aloft by protesters during a demonstration in Tahrir Square, with historic yellow-stone buildings and crowds of people visible in the background during the 2011 Egyptian uprising.
culturalContext:
topMusic:
- title: Ramy Essam – 'Bread, Freedom, Social Justice'
  artist: Ramy Essam
  year: 2011
  note: Street musician's protest anthem became a rallying cry during the uprising; later imprisoned under el-Sisi for his activism.
  referenceCard:
  status: ok
  checkedAt: "2026-05-23T07:43:25.317Z"
- title: Umm Kulthum - Greatest Hits (ongoing influence)
  artist: Umm Kulthum
  year: 2011
  note: The late Egyptian diva's nationalist songs remained central to protest playlists and cultural memory of Egyptian sovereignty.
  referenceCard:
  status: not_found
  checkedAt: "2026-05-30T10:46:45.602Z"
topFilms: []
topTVShows:
- title: News coverage on Al Jazeera (Arabic)
  year: 2011
  note: Round-the-clock coverage of Tahrir Square protests gave the channel unprecedented influence and legitimacy across the Arab world.
  referenceCard:
  status: not_found
  checkedAt: "2026-05-30T10:46:45.602Z"
zeitgeistNote: The 2011 Egyptian Revolution unfolded in real-time on social media-Twitter and Facebook became organizing tools and broadcast systems-marking a generational pivot toward digitally-coordinated dissent. Participants were young, urban, educated Egyptians fed by decades of Mubarak-era stagnation, economic inequality, and police brutality. The revolution's imagery-packed Tahrir Square, defiant youth, images of Mubarak's empty palace-circulated globally as proof that sustained civil disobedience could topple authoritarian rule, a narrative that inspired uprisings across Tunisia, Libya, Syria, and Yemen within months. The mixture of hope and eventual disillusionment became the Arab Spring's defining emotional arc.
comparisonThenNow:
- metric: Life expectancy in Egypt
  thenValue: 70–71 years (2011)
  thenYear: 2011
  nowValue: 72.0 years
  nowYear: 2023
  note: Stagnation reflects ongoing economic strain and healthcare inequality despite hopes for reform.
- metric: Egypt's unemployment rate
  thenValue: 9.0%
  thenYear: 2011
  nowValue: 7.3%
  nowYear: 2023
  note: Marginal improvement masks youth joblessness and underemployment, core grievances that fueled the uprising.
- metric: World Press Freedom Index rank (Egypt)
  thenValue: 133rd out of 180 nations
  thenYear: 2011
  nowValue: 175th out of 180 nations
  nowYear: 2023
  note: Dramatic deterioration; el-Sisi's regime tightened media control far beyond Mubarak's constraints.
- metric: Estimated Suez Canal revenue
  thenValue: $5.3 billion
  thenYear: 2011
  nowValue: $9.8 billion
  nowYear: 2023
  note: Canal expansion completed in 2016 boosted revenue, but benefits accrued primarily to military and state apparatus, not broader population.
impactStatement: Eighteen days in January and February 2011 toppled a 30-year authoritarian regime and sent shockwaves through the Arab world. Hosni Mubarak's departure on February 11 proved that sustained mass civilian mobilization could force entrenched power to yield, even as the revolution's ultimate outcome-military rule persisting under a different name-would complicate that victory for decades.
consequences:
- title: Egyptian Constitutional Referendum
  year: 2011
  description: March 2011 vote approved constitutional amendments weakening presidential power, though the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces retained effective control as the transitional authority.
- title: 2011 Egyptian Parliamentary Elections
  year: 2011
  description: November–December elections produced a parliament dominated by the Muslim Brotherhood and Salafist parties, signaling a seismic shift in Egyptian political composition after decades of secular-nationalist rule.
- title: Mohamed Morsi's Presidential Election
  year: 2012
  description: June 2012 victory by Muslim Brotherhood candidate Morsi represented the revolution's most direct transfer of power to an Islamist movement, though his tenure lasted only one year.
- title: Syrian Civil War Escalation
  year: 2011
  description: Inspired partly by the Egyptian uprising's success, Syrian protests began in March 2011 and devolved into a multi-sided civil war that would displace millions and kill hundreds of thousands.
- title: 2013 Egyptian Military Coup
  year: 2013
  description: General Abdel Fattah el-Sisi removed President Morsi in July 2013, reinstating military rule and demonstrating that the revolution's promise of democratic change had been arrested by institutional power.
- title: Tunisian Constitutional Assembly Convened
  year: 2011
  description: Tunisia's post-revolution transition (beginning December 2010–January 2011) produced a constituent assembly in October 2011, ultimately yielding the Arab Spring's only sustained democratic gains.
archiveSnapshots: []
categories:
- revolution
- protest
metaDescription: Mass protests topple Hosni Mubarak's 30-year reign. Egyptians reclaim Tahrir Square, demand democracy. Military takes interim control. Uprising reshapes Middle East politics.
originSignals:
- "wikipedia:2011-egyptian-revolution"
geo:
lat: 26.2540493
lng: 29.2675469
place: Egypt
note: Location inferred from recap.country via OSM Nominatim.
significance: 25
heroImageAlt: Aerial view of a massive crowd of protesters filling a large public square in an urban setting, with white tents and protest banners scattered throughout the densely packed gathering, surrounded by multi-story residential and commercial buildings.
translations:
es:
lede: En enero de 2011, egipcios tomaron la plaza Tahrir en El Cairo y ciudades de todo el país, exigiendo el fin de 30 años de gobierno autoritario del presidente Hosni Mubarak. Durante 18 días de protestas masivas, huelgas y enfrentamientos con fuerzas de seguridad, el levantamiento obligó a Mubarak a renunciar el 11 de febrero, un giro sorprendente que inspiró rebeliones similares en todo el mundo árabe y expuso la fragilidad de regímenes considerados intocables.
summaryShort: Egipcios en El Cairo, Alejandría y Suez se levantaron en enero de 2011, obligando al presidente Hosni Mubarak a abandonar el poder después de 30 años de gobierno autoritario.
summaryLong: |-
  El 25 de enero de 2011, decenas de miles de egipcios salieron a las calles para desafiar el dominio de tres décadas de Hosni Mubarak. Las protestas, coordinadas en parte por Facebook y Twitter, convergieron en la plaza Tahrir en El Cairo, un punto focal que definiría el levantamiento durante los siguientes 18 días. Los llamados iniciales por reformas evolucionaron hacia demandas explícitas de renuncia de Mubarak mientras las multitudes se hinchaban a cientos de miles, paralizando la capital y extendiéndose por todo el país.

  La respuesta del gobierno escaló desde cañones de agua a munición real. Las fuerzas de seguridad mataron al menos a 846 personas durante el levantamiento según Human Rights Watch; otras fuentes incluyendo el ministerio de salud egipcio e investigadores independientes han documentado cifras más altas dependiendo de la metodología y criterios de inclusión, con estimaciones creíbles que llegan hasta 1.000 o más, mientras que los apagones de internet y arrestos masivos no pudieron extinguir el movimiento. El 28 de enero, las oraciones del viernes se convirtieron en un punto de conflicto; Mubarak declaró un toque de queda pero los manifestantes lo ignoraron. El ejército desplegó tanques, sin embargo muchos soldados mostraron reluctancia a disparar contra civiles. A principios de febrero, Mubarak anunció que no buscaría la reelección, una concesión que no alcanzaba su partida inmediata.

  La última resistencia de Mubarak duró hasta el 11 de febrero, cuando renunció bajo presión creciente y una manifestación particularmente masiva en la plaza Tahrir. El Consejo Supremo de las Fuerzas Armadas asumió el control interino, iniciando un período de transición complejo. Celebraciones estallaron en todo Egipto, pero el resultado de la revolución permanecía incierto. Las promesas iniciales de elecciones rápidas y reforma democrática pronto chocarían con el atrincheramiento militar y divisiones internas dentro de la oposición.

  El levantamiento resonó mucho más allá de las fronteras de Egipto. Protestas en Túnez ya habían expulsado al presidente Zine El Abidine Ben Ali semanas antes, y el éxito de El Cairo animó a activistas en todo el mundo árabe. Libia, Yemen, Siria y Bahréin vieron movilizaciones masivas en cuestión de semanas. Gobiernos occidentales, muchos de los cuales habían apoyado a Mubarak como aliado regional, se apresuraron a recalibrar sus posiciones. Los efectos secundarios de la revolución remodelarían la política de Oriente Medio durante años, a veces hacia mayor apertura, frecuentemente hacia nuevas formas de inestabilidad.

  Dentro de Egipto, las consecuencias inmediatas resultaron complicadas. La transición dirigida por el ejército llevó a las victorias electorales de la Hermandad Musulmana en 2012, la breve presidencia de Mohamed Morsi y finalmente un regreso al gobierno militar bajo Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. Sin embargo, la revolución había destrozado un pilar fundamental de la autoridad de Mubarak: la noción de que era inamovible. Demostró, al menos temporalmente, que las calles podían rehacer la política.
generatedAt: "2026-06-03T10:12:44.690Z"
fr:
lede: En janvier 2011, les Égyptiens ont occupé la place Tahrir au Caire et dans les villes du pays, exigeant la fin du règne autoritaire de 30 ans du président Hosni Mubarak. Au cours de 18 jours de manifestations massives, de grèves et d'affrontements avec les forces de sécurité, le soulèvement a forcé Mubarak à démissionner le 11 février-un revirement stupéfiant qui a inspiré des rébellions similaires dans le monde arabe et a exposé la fragilité des régimes considérés comme intouchables.
summaryShort: Des Égyptiens du Caire, d'Alexandrie et de Suez se sont soulevés en janvier 2011, forçant le président Hosni Mubarak à quitter le pouvoir après 30 ans de règne autoritaire.
summaryLong: |-
  Le 25 janvier 2011, des dizaines de milliers d'Égyptiens ont envahi les rues pour contester l'emprise de 30 ans d'Hosni Mubarak sur le pouvoir. Les manifestations, coordonnées en partie via Facebook et Twitter, ont convergé vers la place Tahrir au Caire-un point focal qui allait définir le soulèvement pendant les 18 jours suivants. Les premiers appels à la réforme se sont transformés en demandes explicites de démission de Mubarak alors que les foules se gonflaient à plusieurs centaines de milliers, paralysant la capitale et se répercutant dans tout le pays.

  La réaction du gouvernement a escaladé des canons à eau aux munitions réelles. Les forces de sécurité ont tué au moins 846 personnes selon Human Rights Watch ; d'autres sources dont le ministère égyptien de la santé et des enquêteurs indépendants ont documenté des bilans plus élevés selon la méthodologie et les critères d'inclusion, les estimations crédibles oscillant jusqu'à 1 000 ou plus. Tandis que les coupures internet et les arrestations massives n'ont pas éteint le mouvement, le 28 janvier, les prières du vendredi sont devenues un foyer de tension ; Mubarak a décrété un couvre-feu mais les manifestants l'ont ignoré. L'armée a déployé des chars, mais de nombreux soldats ont montré une réticence à tirer sur les civils. Au début février, Mubarak a annoncé qu'il ne chercherait pas sa réélection-une concession qui n'a pas satisfait à son départ immédiat.

  Le dernier combat de Mubarak a duré jusqu'au 11 février, quand il a démissionné après une pression croissante et une manifestation particulièrement massive à la place Tahrir. Le Conseil suprême des Forces armées a assumé le contrôle intérimaire, ouvrant une période de transition complexe. Les célébrations ont éclaté dans toute l'Égypte, mais l'issue de la révolution restait incertaine. Les promesses initiales d'élections rapides et de réforme démocratique entreraient bientôt en collision avec l'ancrage militaire et les divisions internes au sein de l'opposition.

  Le soulèvement a eu des échos bien au-delà des frontières égyptiennes. Les protestations en Tunisie avaient déjà renversé le président Zine El Abidine Ben Ali quelques semaines plus tôt, et le succès du Caire a enhardi les militants dans le monde arabe. La Libye, le Yémen, la Syrie et Bahreïn ont tous connu des mobilisations massives dans les semaines suivantes. Les gouvernements occidentaux, dont beaucoup avaient soutenu Mubarak comme allié régional, se sont empressés de recalibrer leurs positions. Les effets d'entraînement de la révolution allaient remodeler la politique du Moyen-Orient pendant des années-parfois vers une plus grande ouverture, souvent vers de nouvelles formes d'instabilité.

  En Égypte même, les lendemains immédiats se sont avérés compliqués. La transition dirigée par l'armée a mené aux victoires électorales des Frères musulmans en 2012, à la brève présidence de Mohamed Morsi, et finalement au retour du règne militaire sous Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. Pourtant, la révolution avait brisé un pilier fondamental de l'autorité de Mubarak : l'idée qu'il était indestructible. Elle a démontré, du moins temporairement, que les rues pouvaient encore refaire la politique.
generatedAt: "2026-06-03T10:12:53.323Z"
de:
lede: Im Januar 2011 besetzten Ägypter den Tahrir-Platz in Kairo und Städte im ganzen Land und forderten das Ende von Präsident Hosni Mubaraks 30-jähriger autoritärer Herrschaft. Über 18 Tage mit Massenprotesten, Streiks und Zusammenstößen mit Sicherheitskräften zwang der Aufstand Mubarak am 11. Februar zum Rücktritt – ein überraschender Wendepunkt, der ähnliche Aufstände in der gesamten arabischen Welt inspirierte und die Zerbrechlichkeit von als unantastbar geltenden Regimen offenbarte.
summaryShort: Ägypter in Kairo, Alexandria und Suez erhoben sich im Januar 2011 und zwangen Präsident Hosni Mubarak nach 30 Jahren autoritärer Herrschaft aus dem Amt.
summaryLong: |-
  Am 25. Januar 2011 strömten Zehntausende Ägypter auf die Straßen, um Hosni Mubaraks drei Jahrzehnte währende Herrschaft herauszufordern. Die teilweise über Facebook und Twitter koordinierten Proteste konzentrierten sich auf dem Tahrir-Platz in Kairo – einem Brennpunkt, der die nächsten 18 Tage des Aufstands prägen sollte. Anfängliche Reformforderungen wandelten sich in explizite Forderungen nach Mubaraks Rücktritt um, während sich die Menschenmassen auf Hunderttausende vergrößerten und die Hauptstadt lahmlegten sowie sich über das ganze Land ausbreiteten.

  Die Reaktion der Regierung eskalierte von Wasserwerfern zu scharfer Munition. Sicherheitskräfte töteten nach Angaben von Human Rights Watch mindestens 846 Menschen während des Aufstands; andere Quellen einschließlich des ägyptischen Gesundheitsministeriums und unabhängiger Ermittler haben höhere Zahlen dokumentiert, je nach Methodik und Eingrenzungskriterien, mit glaubwürdigen Schätzungen von bis zu 1.000 oder mehr, wobei sich die Zahlen je nach Methodik und Einbeziehung angrenzender Gewalt unterscheiden, während Internetausfälle und Massenverhaftungen die Bewegung nicht auslöschten. Am 28. Januar wurden Freitagsgebete zum Flashpoint; Mubarak verhängte eine Ausgangssperre, doch Protestierende ignorierten diese. Das Militär setzte Panzer ein, doch viele Soldaten zeigten Zurückhaltung beim Schießen auf Zivilisten. Anfang Februar kündigte Mubarak an, nicht zur Wiederwahl anzutreten – ein Zugeständnis, das sein sofortiges Ausscheiden nicht bedeutete.

  Mubaraks letzter Widerstand endete am 11. Februar, als er nach wachsendem Druck und einer besonders massiven Demonstration auf dem Tahrir-Platz abtrat. Der Oberste Rat der Streitkräfte übernahm die vorläufige Kontrolle und leitete eine komplexe Übergansphase ein. Feiern brachen überall in Ägypten aus, doch das Ergebnis der Revolution blieb ungewiss. Frühe Versprechungen schneller Wahlen und demokratischer Reformen sollten bald auf militärische Verfestigung und innere Spaltungen der Opposition treffen.

  Der Aufstand strahlte weit über Ägyptens Grenzen aus. Proteste in Tunesien hatten Präsident Zine El Abidine Ben Ali bereits Wochen zuvor gestürzt, und Kairos Erfolg ermutigte Aktivisten überall in der arabischen Welt. Libyen, Jemen, Syrien und Bahrain erlebten alle Massenproteste innerhalb von Wochen. Westliche Regierungen, von denen viele Mubarak als regionalen Verbündeten unterstützt hatten, bemühten sich, ihre Positionen neu zu bewerten. Die Welleneffekte der Revolution sollten die Nahostaolitik für Jahre umgestalten – manchmal hin zu größerer Offenheit, oft hin zu neuen Formen der Instabilität.

  In Ägypten selbst erwies sich die unmittelbare Nachzeit als kompliziert. Der von den Militärs geführte Übergangsprozess führte zu den Wahlsiegen der Muslimbruderschaft 2012, der kurzen Präsidentschaft von Mohamed Morsi und letztlich zur Rückkehr zur Militärherrschaft unter Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. Doch die Revolution hatte eine grundlegende Säule von Mubaraks Autorität zerschlagen: die Vorstellung, dass er unabänderbar war. Sie demonstrierte, zumindest vorübergehend, dass Straßen Politik noch immer umgestalten konnten.
generatedAt: "2026-06-03T10:13:03.202Z"
