Press Association/AP/Amr Nabil. All rights reserved.This year marks the fifth anniversary of the Egyptian uprising, and it feels different from previous years. All sides of the political spectrum seem to have decided to shield themselves from reality, focusing on a discourse that provides them with a protective layer from the grim conditions engulfing them, a survival coping mechanism. This is true of all sides of the political spectrum: the Muslim Brotherhood, the secular activists and even the regime supporters. It has become increasingly apparent that there are no winners in this struggle.
From a regime that is terrified of any opposition, having raided thousands of flats in down town Cairo and gone through Facebook profiles looking for anti-government comments; to secular activists who keep proclaiming that the 'January 25 revolution' was the greatest in human history. These past few weeks have truly been a spectacle, and they concluded with two young men appearing in Tahrir Square and distributing blown up condoms to the police. They shone like rays of sunshine in the middle of a storm. Their gesture is a reminder of the struggle ahead and the weaknesses of the illusions we have built around ourselves.
The regime and its supporters
This is one of the most interesting groups. After a series of political disasters, the regime, even though it is repeating the rhetoric of Sisi’s undisputed support, is acutely aware of its deteriorating popularity.
