Its tanks were cheered by raucous crowds during the January revolt, but today the Egyptian army is under fire for pulling the reins on reform as it scrambles to retain some influence on the country’s future, say analysts.

As Egyptians prepare to vote on Monday in the country’s first legislative elections since the uprising, the military which took power when Hosni Mubarak was ousted has been the target of attacks by pro-democracy movements.

“The army is behaving as though the ousting of Hosni Mubarak was a coup d’etat and not a revolution,” said Nevine Mossaad, professor of political science at Cairo University.

“It would like to continue as though nothing happened, but it had to yield many things under pressure from revolution movements or the powerful Muslim Brotherhood,” she said.

Today, the military’s goal could be to transfer power to a civilian authority after the election of a new President in 2012, but on condition of preserving its interests and without paying the price of change.

“I don’t think the army wants to stay in power indefinitely, but it wants to guarantee that when it leaves, the Mubarak scenario is not repeated,” said Prof. Mossaad about the former President facing trial for the killing of protesters during the uprising.

The recent proposal of supra Constitutional principles – criticised within political circles – has re-launched the argument that the military’s withdrawal could take place when it knows its privileges will be guaranteed. The document would see the military have a final say on all legislation concerning it, and would see its budget shielded from public scrutiny.

As it faces its toughest challenge since Mr Mubarak was ousted, the institution seems to be relying on support from a silent majority, in a country where the uniform is held in high esteem, even if the military leadership is under fire.

According to a public opinion survey conducted by the University of Maryland, 43 per cent of Egyptians believe their military rulers are working to slow or reverse the gains made in the Tahrir Square uprising.

Another 21 per cent felt the military authorities were striving to advance those gains, while 14 percent considered them to be indifferent, according to a five-nation snapshot of Arab public opinion. Some 750 Egyptians in Cairo, Alexandria, Giza, Qaliubiya, Al Minia (Upper Egypt) and Al Ismailiyah (Suez Canal) took part in the October 22-30 poll, with a margin of error of 3.7 per cent.

“Since the construction of modern Egypt, the military institution has played a prominent part,” said political analyst Amr al-Chobaki during a conference at the American University in Cairo.

“One of the main challenges of democratic transition is to get the army back to its place, to allow them to return to security in order to build a democratic civil regime,” he said.

Since the 1952 revolution that toppled the monarchy, all of Egypt’s Presidents have come from the ranks of the military: Mohammed Naguib, Gamal Abdel Nasser, Anwar Sadat and Hosni Mubarak.

Its highest ranking officer, Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi is now in charge of the country.

Diplomatic cables revealed by whistle blower WikiLeaks describe an institution that believes it represents stability, and is preoccupied with maintaining its economic interests and network of businesses.

Timeline of events

February

11: After daily mass protests, Mr Mubarak steps down and leaves the capital.
12: Promising a peaceful transition, the army suspends the Constitution and dissolves Parliament.

March

19: Voters approve a proposed new Constitution, with 77.2 per cent voting “yes”.
28: The new military regime, headed by Mr Mubarak’s long-time defence minister Field-Marshal Hussein Tantawi, announces changes making it easier to set up political parties.

April

13: Authorities say Mr Mubarak and his two sons have been detained. The former President is reported to have suffered heart problems during questioning.

May

7: 15 die and 200 injured as Muslims and Christians clash in Cairo.

June

6: A political party formed by the Muslim Brotherhood, Egypt’s biggest opposition group, is declared legal.
29: More than 1,000 hurt in clashes between protesters and anti-riot police in Cairo’s Tahrir Square.

July

8: Thousands of people start a three-week sit-in at Tahrir Square to criticise the new military rulers over the slow pace of reform.

21: A sweeping Cabinet reshuffle fails to appease protesters as it retains several ministers they want sacked.

29: Hundreds of thousands of Islamists pack Cairo’s Tahrir Square in the biggest gathering since Mr Mubarak’s fall.

August

3: The trial begins of Mr Mubarak, his two sons, his former interior minister and six police commanders.

September

5: Mr Mubarak’s trial resumes against a background of clashes between his supporters and opponents.

9: A huge crowd of protesters attacks the Israeli embassy in Cairo. Three people die and more than 1,000 are injured.

27: The military announces a parliamentary election for November 28.

October

9: 25 people, mainly Coptic Christians, are killed and more than 300 injured in clashes with security forces in Cairo.

November

19: Start of sustained clashes in Tahrir Square between police and demonstrators opposed to the military regime.