A process for the production of olefins by catalytic cracking, the process comprising feeding a hydrocarbon feedstock containing at least one olefin of C₄ or greater over a MFI-type crystalline silicate catalyst to produce an effluent containing at least one olefin of C₂ or greater by catalytic cracking which is selective towards light olefins in the effluent, whereby for increasing the catalyst stability by limiting formation of coke thereon during the cracking process the catalyst has a silicon/aluminum atomic ratio of at least about 180, the olefin partial pressure is from 0.1 to 2 bars, and the feedstock contacts the catalyst at an inlet temperature of from 500 to 600 C. A process for increasing the stability of a MFI-type crystalline silicate catalyst, by limiting formation of coke on the catalyst, for catalytically cracking a hydrocarbon feedstock containing at least one olefin of C₄ or greater to produce an effluent containing at least one olefin of C₂ or greater, the process comprising pre-treating the catalyst so as to increase the silicon/aluminum atomic ratio thereof to a value of at least about 180 by heating the catalyst in steam and de-aluminating the catalyst by treating the catalyst with a complexing agent for aluminum.