The driving of a Presidential convoy on a red carpet for several kilometers ahead of the inauguration of several projects in Egypt has caused outrage among Egyptian television and radio personalities. Egyptian President Sisi’s convoy drove on the red carpet while on a visit to 6 October City to inaugurate several projects, including a housing project for the poor. During a speech, the President announced new spending cuts on water and electricity subsidies and asked Egyptians to be frugal due to economic hardships and called on them not to complain about the austerity measures. The contrast between the luxury of the several miles long red carpet and then subsequently asking citizens to watch their spending and taking away their water and electricity subsidies provoked anger on social media. Thousands of tweets and Facebook posts were devoted to ‘red carpet gate’ and the issue was discussed on many of the prime time talk shows that are broadcast on the Egyptian radio and television every night. “How many blankets for the poor could have been cut out of that carpet?” radio host Youssef al-Husseiny asked. He called the president a hypocrite and wondered…
Red Carpet Experts and Social Media Outrage: Egypt President’s Convoy Drives on Red Carpet
February 8, 2016
