Many Egyptians miss their deposed president, Hosni Mubarak

HOSNI MUBARAK once shut off the internet to discourage protests. So what happened to one of his biggest online supporters this summer is ironic. Karim Hussein shares photos and videos of the former dictator with the 3m followers of his “I’m Sorry, Mr President” Facebook page. Many of his posts are subtly political, like a tongue-in-cheek list of reasons why Egyptians wanted to overthrow Mr Mubarak in 2011: a stable pound; manageable external debt; thriving tourism. (All have worsened since the revolution.)

Mr Hussein also wrote that the ex-president allowed a free press. That was an exaggeration. But the current president, Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi, does not tolerate even the limited political freedoms his predecessor did. On July 9th police arrested Mr Hussein on suspicion of “spreading false news”.

Back in 2011, when a popular uprising ended Mr Mubarak’s 30-year rule, it was hard to imagine much nostalgia. Many Egyptians felt their country was adrift, led by an old man who was not up to the job. They mocked his doddering demeanour by calling him la vache qui rit, the laughing cow, after a French brand of processed cheese with a beaming bovine on the box.

Eight years later, more than a few Egyptians view the past through rose-tinted glasses. Ordinary people recall a president who maintained a...

Read More