( CNN ) -- Just as Egypt 's revolution took the world by surprise , so did President Mohamed Morsy 's unexpected assertion of presidential power so soon after he came into office . On August 12 , Morsy forced Field Marshal Mohammed Tantawi and his heir apparent , Lt. Gen. Sami Anan , to retire . No one was prepared for Morsy , a former leader of the Muslim Brotherhood , to pull the proverbial rug out from under the two most powerful and widely hated military officials and to reassert civilian power . In hindsight , Morsy foreshadowed his move against the military in his inaugural speech when he declared that `` no institution is above the state . '' In what has become almost second nature in Egypt since the revolution , people took to the streets to express their political views . Following Morsy 's announcement , Tahrir Square was instantly filled with supporters -- a powerful reminder of who motivated Morsy to make his bold move . While ordinary people have shown their approval , the same forces that supported Hosni Mubarak 's regime now insinuate that Morsy has taken his first step toward dictatorship . They dismiss the possibility that Morsy is fulfilling hopes of the revolution that brought him to power , and that he has a right to claim powers that come with his presidency . By unseating Tantawi and Anan , Morsy responded to the longstanding demands of the revolutionary forces as well as ridding Egypt of the handicap of a two-heads-of-state system . `` Down , down with military rule '' has been chanted by revolutionaries since Tantawi replaced Mubarak . No wonder the activist Wael Ghonim and the Revolution Continues coalition were among the first to publicly support Morsy 's brilliant tactic . Morsy himself has explained that he has acted in the interests of the nation by fulfilling the aspirations of the revolution . However , much more needs to be done . The revolutionaries have called for the retrial of Mubarak 's acquitted regime heads and prosecution of Tantawi and Anan for their crimes against civilian protesters . Morsy has opted instead for a more pragmatic `` safe exit '' for Tantawi and Anan , even bestowing them with decorations on their way out . Morsy should pardon more if not all civilian protesters -- some 12,000 in total -- who are still being held in military detention . So far , Morsy appears to be sensitive to the Egyptian street . Recognizing his own diminishing popularity as well as the declining approval ratings of the Muslim Brotherhood and the Parliament that it dominates , Morsy may feel the need to do more before August 24 , when nationwide demonstrations against the Muslim Brotherhood are scheduled to take place . The two hard-won gains of the revolution -- civic participation and democratic processes -- have empowered Egyptians to engage actively in politics . The real force behind any change in Egypt comes down to ordinary citizens who flex their political muscles . Wagih El Akkad , a taxi driver in Cairo who voted for the first time in 67 years , spoke for many when he said : `` I did n't like either of them ( presidential candidates Morsy and Ahmed Shafik ) , but I like the system . ... You have to take risks to bring about change , but these things take time . '' Everywhere in Cairo , people are talking politics . Nothing , including the opaque control of possibly 40 % of the Egyptian economy by military-connected entities , is taken for granted . For Morsy , it might have been riskier not to act . Egyptians are growing impatient with the lack of noticeable change in political life while the country 's economy continues to slump . Gallup 's Egypt polls indicate that Islamist voters have the same priorities for government as secular voters : economic growth and security . Distractions like the social issues pursued by the Brotherhood-dominated Parliament will not satisfy most Egyptians . Maybe this is why a Morsy representative announced that the president is inclined to further changes , including reforming the unpopular Constituent Assembly , which is charged with writing the Constitution . The jury is still out on Morsy . He will be hard-pressed to meet the demands of economic and social justice that fueled the revolution . Morsy 's new appointments send mixed signals . He replaced Tantawi with Gen. Abdul al-Sisi as defense minister . Although al-Sisi has good relations with the U.S. , he is known for defending the barbaric `` virginity tests '' performed by the military during the revolution . Arguably , the appointment of reformist judge Mahmoud Mekki as vice president ( which has garnered little attention in the West ) holds greater promise and significance for Egypt 's future . What will Morsy do next ? Will he deliver what the revolutionaries have hoped for ? Or will he move in the Brotherhood 's regressive direction , evident in their recent censorship of the press ? We will find out soon . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Cynthia Schneider and Khaled Abol Naga .
Cynthia Schneider , Khaled Naga : Egypt 's new president takes the world by surprise . Schneider , Naga : President Morsy forced many powerful military officers to retire . They say perhaps Morsy is genuine about fulfilling the aspirations of the people . Schneider , Naga : The jury is still out on Egypt , early signs are mixed so far .