The former French colony has experienced 11 coups or attempted coups since its independence in 1960. Its first free and fair elections in 2007 led to a short-lived democracy: by August 2008, a military putsch led by General Mohamed Ould Abdelaziz installed itself in power. Recent elections gave Abdelaziz a gloss of democratic legitimacy, but opponents claimed the polls were fraudulent. Abdelaziz’s regime rules on, though, and has shored up Western support by leading the counter-insurgency against al-Qaeda’s North African wing in the Maghreb.
Armed Camps: Where Militaries Meddle with Democracy
The Egyptian military’s latest attempt to circumvent the results of national elections has stoked scrutiny of the top brass in Cairo. Global Spin looks at countries where the army is currently meddling in politics.