Egypt has endured more than two years of deposed presidents and political deadlock. Countless leaders and commentators have claimed to have the answer to resolve widespread civil unrest. But it is the wise words of a 12-year-old boy which appear to encapsulate the dissatisfaction feltby the thousands of protesters in Tahrir Square and beyond. During a remarkable interview with TV station El Wady News, young Ali Ahmed denounces Muhammed Mursi's ousted government as a 'fascist theocracy'.

He also says that the previous regime was doomed from the beginning, arguing 'what is built on falsehood is false itself'. His eloquent answers were first posted on YouTube on March 27 but the footage has recently become a hit among protesters and has now been viewed almost 1.4million times. Ali begins by saying: 'We didn't get rid of a military regime to replace it with a fascist theocracy'. When the interviewer remarks that she is not sure what a 'fascist theocracy' is herself, Ali expands: 'Fascist theocracy is when you manipulate religion and enforce extremist regulations in the name of religion'. Surprised by Ali's knowledge of politics, the interviewer asks him where he learnt about such things. 'I just know it,' he replies. 'I listen to people a lot and use my brain. I read newspapers, watch TV and search on the internet.' The outspoken Ali continues: 'All of this [political process] is void, because the parliament in the first place is void'.

He also criticised regulations adopted from the Islamic Shariah law as 'outrageous.' As an example, he says that allow men 'to discipline their wives'. 'I can’t beat my wife up and almost kill her, and then tell you this is discipline. This is not discipline, this is abuse and insanity,' Ali adds. Today ,Egypt's interim head of state timetabled an election date for next year, leaving the country facing months of violent protests following the military intervention last week. In an attempt to drag the Arab world's biggest country from crisis, a decree issued by Adli Mansour pointed to a parliamentary ballot within about six months with a presidential vote to follow. But senior officials in Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood rejected the plans with leading figure Essam al-Erian saying the blueprint for constitutional changes 'brings the country back to square one'.

The events have worried Western allies. The United Nations said it was 'gravely concerned' about mounting violence in Egypt and said the country was on a 'precarious path.' 'The Secretary-General condemns these killings and calls for them to be thoroughly investigated by independent and competent national bodies,' it said in a statement. The United States, still refraining from calling the military intervention a 'coup' - a label that would trigger legal obstacles to continuing aid payments - called on Egypt's army to exercise 'maximum restraint.' The White House said it was not about to halt aid to Egypt. The Egyptian military, recipient of $1.3 billion a year from Washington, has insisted that the overthrow was not a coup and that it was enforcing the 'will of the people' after millions took to the streets on June 30 to call for Morsi's resignation.

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