Mohamed Morsi facts for kids

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Quick facts for kids Mohamed Morsi محمد مرسي
Morsi in May 2013

5th President of Egypt
In office 30 June 2012 – 3 July 2013
Prime Minister	Kamal Ganzouri Hesham Qandil
Vice President	Mahmoud Mekki
Preceded by	Hosni Mubarak Mohamed Hussein Tantawi (interim)
Succeeded by	Adly Mansour (interim) Abdel Fattah el-Sisi
Secretary General of the Non-Aligned Movement
In office 30 June 2012 – 30 August 2012
Preceded by	Mohamed Hussein Tantawi
Succeeded by	Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
Chairman of the Freedom and Justice Party
In office 30 April 2011 – 24 June 2012
Preceded by	Position established
Succeeded by	Saad El-Katatni
Member of the People's Assembly
In office 1 December 2000 – 12 December 2005
Preceded by	Numan Gumaa
Succeeded by	Mahmoud Abaza

Personal details
Born	(1951-08-08)8 August 1951 El Adwah, Kingdom of Egypt
Died	17 June 2019(2019-06-17) (aged 67) Tora Prison, Cairo, Egypt
Resting place	Nasr City
Political party	Freedom and Justice Party
Other political affiliations	Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt
Spouse	Naglaa Mahmoud (m. 1979)
Children	5, including Abdullah
Alma mater	Cairo University University of Southern California
Signature

Mohamed Morsi (born August 8, 1951 – died June 17, 2019) was an Egyptian politician. He was an engineer and a professor. Morsi served as the fifth president of Egypt. His time as president was from June 30, 2012, to July 3, 2013.

He was removed from office by Abdel Fattah el-Sisi after large protests. Morsi was connected to the Muslim Brotherhood group. He led the Freedom and Justice Party from 2011 to 2012.

Morsi was born in El Adwah, Sharqia Governorate. He studied engineering at Cairo University. Later, he studied materials science in the United States. He became a professor at California State University, Northridge. Then he returned to Egypt to teach at Zagazig University.

After the 2011 Egyptian revolution, Morsi became a key figure. His party won the most seats in the 2011–12 parliamentary election. Morsi was then elected president in 2012.

During his presidency, Morsi made some decisions that caused protests. He tried to protect his actions from being challenged by courts. A new constitution was approved by voters, but many people did not vote. In June 2013, protests against Morsi grew. The military then removed him from power. They appointed Adly Mansour as a temporary president. Morsi died during a trial on June 17, 2019.

Mohamed Morsi: Egypt's Former President

Early Life and Education

Mohamed Morsi was born on August 8, 1951. This was in the village of El Adwah, in Sharqia Governorate, northern Egypt. His father was a farmer and his mother was a housewife. He was the oldest of five brothers.

In the late 1960s, he moved to Cairo. He studied at Cairo University. In 1975, he earned a degree in engineering. He served in the Egyptian Army from 1975 to 1976. He then continued his studies at Cairo University. In 1978, he earned a master's degree in engineering.

After his master's, Morsi received a scholarship. This allowed him to study in the United States. He earned a PhD in materials science in 1982. This degree was from the University of Southern California.

Career as a Professor and Engineer

While in the United States, Morsi worked as a professor. He taught at California State University, Northridge. This was from 1982 to 1985.

In 1985, Morsi went back to Egypt. He became a professor at Zagazig University. He was even made head of the engineering department there. Morsi taught at Zagazig University until 2010.

Stepping into Politics

Becoming a Member of Parliament

Morsi was first elected to parliament in 2000. He served as a Member of Parliament until 2005. He ran as an independent candidate. This was because the Muslim Brotherhood group was not allowed to have candidates. He was a member of the Muslim Brotherhood's Guidance Office.

In 2011, the Freedom and Justice Party was created. Morsi was chosen to be its first president.

Arrest and Escape in 2011

Morsi was arrested on January 28, 2011. This happened along with 24 other Muslim Brotherhood leaders. He escaped from a prison in Cairo two days later. This prison break happened during the chaos of the 2011 Egyptian revolution.

Years later, Morsi faced trial for his role in the prison break. A court ordered a retrial for him and others.

Running for President in 2012

Then President Mohamed Morsi (right) and General al-Sisi (left) listen to visiting U.S. Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel (centre), during a meeting with U.S. officials on 24 April 2013. Al-Sisi, chosen by Morsi to be the first post-Mubarak era Defense Minister, would later sanction the removal of Morsi.

Morsi became the Muslim Brotherhood's candidate for president in 2012. This happened after their first choice was not allowed to run. His campaign was supported by well-known religious figures.

On June 24, 2012, Morsi was announced as the winner. He won with 51.73 percent of the votes. His supporters celebrated in Cairo's Tahrir Square. Soon after winning, he resigned from leading the Freedom and Justice Party.

What Mohamed Morsi Believed In

Views on Government and Rights

Morsi stated that "no entity will be above the constitution." He believed the army's budget should be checked by parliament. He promised to respect the Constitution of Egypt. Morsi also said his party would not "impose what we believe on people." He believed Egyptians wanted a society where everyone had equal rights.

Views on Different Religions

Morsi said that Coptic Christians were "just as Egyptian as I am." He believed they had the same rights to their homeland. He stated that freedom of religion is a right from God. He also said that Islamic law tells Muslims to respect non-Muslims.

Morsi as President of Egypt

Morsi became Egypt's first democratically elected president. He was sworn in on June 30, 2012. He took over from Hosni Mubarak, who had resigned in 2011.

Changes in Egypt

Morsi brought back the parliament on July 10, 2012. This parliament had been dissolved by military officials. He wanted to help create a new constitution. He supported a constitution that protected civil rights and included Islamic law.

Morsi also spoke about freeing Egyptians arrested during the revolution. He mentioned Omar Abdel-Rahman, who was convicted in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing. A spokesperson later said this was for humanitarian reasons.

On July 10, 2012, Morsi reinstated the parliament. Most members were from his party and other Islamist groups. He had planned to appoint a Christian and a woman as vice-presidents. However, he appointed Mahmoud Mekki, a Muslim man. Mekki later resigned.

Morsi asked Hesham Qandil to form a new government. Qandil was sworn in as prime minister on August 2, 2012.

Important Decisions in 2012

On August 12, 2012, Morsi made big changes. He asked Mohamed Hussein Tantawi, the head of the armed forces, to resign. He also asked Sami Hafez Anan, the Army chief of staff, to resign. Morsi also cancelled constitutional changes that limited the president's powers. He named Abdel Fattah el-Sisi as the new defense minister. This was seen as a major shift in power.

Morsi also fired other security officials. These included the intelligence chief and the commander of his presidential guards. On August 27, 2012, Morsi named 21 advisers. These included three women and two Christians. He also appointed new governors for the country's regions.

In October 2012, Morsi's government planned a large economic hub. This project was near the Suez Canal. Qatar promised $8 billion for it. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development also promised €1 billion. This project did not happen under Morsi. However, his successor, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, later started a similar project.

On November 22, 2012, Morsi issued a special declaration. This declaration aimed to protect the work of the assembly writing the new constitution. It meant his actions could not be challenged in court. This decree was meant to be temporary. It also called for new trials for those accused in Mubarak-era killings.

This decision was criticized by many. Protests began in Tahrir Square. People demanded that the declaration be reversed. Human rights groups also spoke against it. Egypt's judges called it an attack on their independence. Morsi later agreed to limit the decree's power. He said he wanted to talk with the opposition.

On December 1, 2012, the draft constitution was given to Morsi. He announced that people would vote on it on December 15, 2012. On December 8, 2012, Morsi cancelled his decree. However, he said its effects would still stand. The constitutional vote still went ahead.

Egypt's Relationships with Other Countries

Ties with Arab Nations

Morsi's first official foreign visit was to Saudi Arabia. This was on July 11, 2012. He said he wanted to make ties stronger with Saudi Arabia.

Morsi also received strong support from Qatar. Qatar promised Egypt US$2 billion. Investors from Qatar also promised to invest $10 billion in Egypt.

Views on Syria

Morsi supported the opposition in the Syrian civil war. On June 15, 2013, he attended a rally. At this rally, religious leaders called for support in Syria. Morsi announced that his government had closed the Syrian embassy in Cairo. He also called for international help for the opposition.

Relations with Iran

During his time as president, Morsi made ties stronger with Iran. This was after many years of bad relations between the two countries.

Peace Efforts with Israel and Palestine

Morsi said he would honor all of Egypt's international treaties. This included Egypt's treaty with Israel.

Morsi's government spoke out against the Operation Pillar of Defense. This was a conflict in Gaza. Morsi sent Prime Minister Hesham Qandil to Gaza. This showed support for Gaza and Hamas. Egypt, along with the United States, helped arrange a ceasefire.

International Meetings

Morsi attended the African Union Summit in Addis Ababa. This was from July 15 to 16, 2012. It was the first time an Egyptian president visited Ethiopia in 17 years.

Morsi also attended the 16th Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement in Tehran. This was in August 2012. He gave a speech against the Syrian government. He asked the Syrian opposition to unite.

Morsi hosted the Islamic summit in Cairo. Leaders from 57 Muslim nations were there. They called for talks between Syria's government and the opposition. This was to end the civil war. Morsi also gave Ekmeleddin İhsanoğlu, a leader of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Egypt's highest state honor.

His Later Life and Passing

Egyptian state television announced Morsi's death on June 17, 2019. He had collapsed during a court hearing. This happened at Cairo's Tora Prison complex. He reportedly died suddenly from a heart attack. His lawyer said Morsi spoke for seven minutes before collapsing. He was buried in Cairo.

Critics of the Egyptian government blamed the conditions of his trial for his death. They said the conditions he was held under were the cause. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan also blamed the Egyptian leadership. He called Morsi a martyr.

In October 2020, an orphanage was opened in Syria. It was named the "Mohamed Morsi Orphanage." It houses orphaned children and their families.

Personal Life

Morsi married his cousin, Naglaa Ali Mahmoud, in 1979. She reportedly said she did not want to be called "First Lady." Instead, she preferred "First Servant [of the Egyptian public]."

Morsi had five children. Two of his children were born in California. This means they are U.S. citizens by birth. Morsi also had three grandchildren. His son, Abdullah, died in September 2019.

Awards and Recognition

On a visit to Pakistan, Morsi received an honorary PhD. This was from the National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST). It was given on March 18, 2013. This award recognized his work for peace and strengthening ties with Muslim countries.

Images for kids

Mohamed Morsi's signature
Mohamed Morsi meets with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in Cairo, Egypt, July 2012
Morsi and Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff in Brasília, Brazil, May 2013
Morsi meets with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, 25 May 2013