Egypt was ranked 43rd, among 177 countries, in the 2009 Failed States Index. Egypt's position improved three points, as it was ranked 40th last year. The first state in the index is the most failed country in the world. The fifth annual report, issued by the Foreign Policy magazine and the Fund for Peace, said Egypt is still in the "danger" category and did not reach the critical category. The index described the performance of the Egyptian leadership, police and judiciary as "weak"; civil service, "medium"; and other sovereign institutions, "good." There is a firm conviction that the 2005 presidential elections were rigged. The emergency law allows the suppression of the opposition, arbitrary arrest and sometimes torture.
The recent constitutional amendments gave more powers to the President and reduced the role of the judiciary in supervising elections. Moreover, they banned the establishment of political parties on religious grounds, and gave President Mubarak the right to surpass the ordinary courts.
The police in Egypt are large and effective in the execution of orders, but they have bad file in human rights and systematically-practiced torture. The police routinely suppress the demonstrators, especially those who sympathize with the banned Muslim Brotherhood group.
"Despite the persistent calls for independence, the judiciary is still subject to the influence of the executive power," the report said, adding that corruption is also a problem, as some judges take bribes.
The civil service sector is effective. It has high level of education. However, corruption is one of its main problems, as promotion system is based on seniority rather than merit, thus reducing professionalism and efficiency.
The government took good measures to improve the Egyptians' conditions and to put an end to the usual violations of human rights, corruption and lack of transparency at all government levels, the report added.
