Bassem Sabry - Al-Monitor: The Middle Eastʼs leading independent news source since 2012

Bassem Sabry

Bassem Sabry is an Egyptian political writer and commentator. On Twitter: @Bassem_Sabry

People walk past posters of presidential candidate and former army chief Abdel Fattah al-Sisi at one of his campaign headquarters in central Cairo April 16, 2014. Egyptians will vote on May 26-27 in a presidential election where Abdel Fattah al-Sisi is expected to win easily. REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh (EGYPT - Tags: POLITICS ELECTIONS) - RTR3LLFL

Three ways Egypt's elections could still surprise

Bassem Sabry

Lebanese pop star Haifa Wehbe arrives for the Premiere of he movie 'Halawet Rooh' at a movie theatre in the town of Dbayeh, North of Beirut on April 8 , 2014. AFP PHOTO/JOSEPH EIDEID (Photo credit should read JOSEPH EID/AFP/Getty Images)

Egypt sends movie back to censorship board for review

Bassem Sabry

People listen to the speech by Egypt's army chief Field Marshal Abdel Fattah al-Sisi declaring his candidacy for a presidential election, in a public cafe in Cairo March 26, 2014. Al-Sisi, the general who ousted Egypt's first freely elected leader, on Wednesday declared his candidacy for a presidential election he is expected to win easily. REUTERS/Al Youm Al Saabi Newspaper (EGYPT - Tags: POLITICS MILITARY ELECTIONS) EGYPT OUT. NO COMMERCIAL OR EDITORIAL SALES IN EGYPT - RTR3IQSF

Sisi submits his candidacy to 'will of the people'

Bassem Sabry

Egypt's Interior Minister Mohamed Ibrahim (L) and Prime Minister Hazem el-Beblawi walk during the funeral service of General Mohamed Saeed, head of the technical office of the minister of interior, with police and Saeed's relatives in Cairo January 28, 2014. Gunmen on a motorbike killed Saeed outside his home in Cairo on Tuesday, putting pressure on the military-backed government as it struggles to contain an Islamist insurgency. REUTERS/ Mohamed Abd El Ghany (EGYPT - Tags: POLITICS CIVIL UNREST) - RTX17Y

Biblawi’s resignation leaves more questions for Egypt

Bassem Sabry

Leftist leader Hamdeen Sabahi speaks during an interview with Reuters in Cairo, April 29, 2013. Egypt should refuse a $4.8 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund rather than submit to terms that would further impoverish the poor and could spark a revolution of the hungry, Sabahi said on Monday. REUTERS/Asmaa Waguih (EGYPT - Tags: POLITICS) - RTXZ42R

Egypt’s elections: the meaning of Sabahi’s entry and Abul-Fotouh’s exit

Bassem Sabry

Egypt's Army Chief General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi attends a meeting with Egypt's interim President Adly Mansour, Russia's Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (not pictured) at El-Thadiya presidential palace in Cairo, November 14, 2013. Sisi hailed a new era of defense cooperation with Russia on Thursday during a visit by Russian officials, signaling Egyptian efforts to revive ties with an old ally and send a message to Washington after it suspended military aid. REUTERS/Amr Abdal

Four questions about a Sisi run for president of Egypt

Bassem Sabry

A general view shows a news conference, held by Supreme Election Committee head Nabil Salib (C) to announce a new constitution, in Cairo January 18, 2014. More than 98 percent of voters backed the new Egyptian constitution in a referendum this week, authorities said on Saturday, though the turnout was lower than some officials had indicated, with under 40 percent of the electorate taking part. REUTERS/ Mohamed Abd El Ghany (EGYPT - Tags: POLITICS) - RTX17JWD

The meanings of Egypt’s referendum

Bassem Sabry

The sun sets on the minarets and the Great Pyramids of Giza (R) in Old Cairo December 31, 2013. REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh (EGYPT - Tags: CITYSCAPE SOCIETY TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY) - RTX16Y9H

Egypt: What to expect in 2014

Bassem Sabry

Amr Moussa, head of the assembly writing Egypt's new constitution,speaks after they finished their vote at the Shura Council in Cairo December 1, 2013. A hardline Islamist leader said the army had driven Egypt to the "edge of a precipice", as a new constitution likely to ban Islamic political parties was set to be approved on Sunday by the panel that drafted it. The 50-member constituent assembly was due to finish voting on a draft that reflects how the balance of power has shifted in Egypt since secular-mi

29 things you need to know about Egypt’s draft constitution

Bassem Sabry

Inger Andersen, (R), the World Bank's Vice President for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, makes remarks as Shanta Devarajan, (L), the World Bank's chief economist for MENA and communications manager Heba Shams listen, as she discusses political turmoil and economics in the region at a news conference during the IMF and World Bank's 2013 Annual Fall Meetings, in Washington, October 10, 2013. The meetings come at a time of economic uncertainty with the world's nations possibly slipping back int

World Bank vice president surveys regional economies

Bassem Sabry

An Egyptian passenger arrives to travel at the main gate of Cairo Airport, September 5, 2013. Egypt's non-oil imports fell sharply in the second quarter, but tourism receipts and worker remittances together fell by even more, causing the country's current account deficit to widen, according to central bank figures released on Tuesday. Picture taken September 5, 2013. REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El Ghany (EGYPT - Tags: POLITICS TRAVEL BUSINESS) - RTX13Z1U

8 pillars of Egypt's economic recovery

Bassem Sabry

Remnants of a poster of ousted Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi are pictured on a wall on a street in Cairo August 25, 2013. Egypt's army-backed government shortened a night-time curfew by two hours on Saturday, 10 days after imposing it during a fierce crackdown on Muslim Brotherhood protesters in Cairo. Authorities imposed the curfew on August 14 when police destroyed Brotherhood protest camps in Cairo set up to demand the reinstatement of Mursi. REUTERS/Muhammad Hamed (EGYPT - Tags: POLITICS TPX IMAGES O

Another Egyptian president on trial

Bassem Sabry