The protests in Egypt this January 2011 have come following the uprising and revolution in Tunisia in December 2010. This popular revolutionary movement spreading across the Arabic world is an early manifestation of the major planetary influence between now and 2015, Uranus square Pluto. This is a major generational change where we will see dramatic political and social upheavals. These grass roots movements battling authoritarian power structures is a perfect example of this planetary combination.

To find out why Egypt is the focus now we can look at the national horoscope of Egypt. This Egyptian horoscope is based on the June 1956 Proclamation of the Republic
[1]. The identity of the country, signified by the Sun, has been brought into focus this first half of 2011 because the December 2010 Lunar Eclipse was conjunct this Sun. As Marina wrote on this Ball Breaking eclipse, “My first thoughts on this was dialogue and confrontation”. That lunar eclipse and the Egyptian Sun are both on the fixed star Betelgeuse, Orion Constellation “associated with war and carnage.”

The Sun in the Egyptian horoscope also represents major events and the leader. So the eclipse portended a major event, and put the focus on president Mubarak who has ruled Egypt with dictatorial powers since 1981. The protests in Egypt now are directly related to the abuse of power from the autocratic regime, headed by Mubarak. The citizens are revolting against the state of emergency laws, which have not been lifted since 1981, and which restrict constitutional protections and grants police extensive powers. Eclipses on the Sun in a mundane chart “often signify the death or displacement of the head of state” [2].

Egypt Astrology Chart

Uranus brings radical change, it rules revolution and anarchy, but also the democratic popular movement which is pushing for this change. Uranus is now square the Egyptian Sun and will be through February. Jupiter has been amplifying the tensions, also square the Sun in the Egyptian Horoscope this January. Another trigger for this unrest was the January 19 Full Moon at 29 Cancer, square the Egyptian Ascendant.

I mentioned in Uranus square Pluto about the role of the internet in these coming political and social upheavals, “One big advantage we have today is global networking that the internet provides. It will be most important that this Uranian freedom is upheld, and it will be challenged by Plutonian organizations and governments.” The protests in Egypt are being coordinated on social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter, and the Egyptian government is attempting to shut these sites down in their country.

More anger, violence and revolution would seem to be in store for the year ahead in Egypt. Mars in the Egyptian horoscope rules violence and the police, and this Mars is being harshly aspect this year. Jupiter is square it now, and for the first two weeks of February. More dangerous is the square from Uranus which does indicate explosive violence. Uranus will square the Egyptian Mars in May this year, and again in September 2011 when elections are due. The anger of the people, represented by Mars, had built up in the last year with Pluto opposite Mars, built up to the point of no return.

References
1. “proclamation of the Republic at 11:30 p.m. GMT on 18 June in Cairo.” Campion, “The Book of World Horoscopes, Nicholas Campion, 2004, p.144.
2. wikipedia.org/wiki/Mundane_astrology