It is depressing Islamists have garnered such support, but all is not lost if the Muslim Brotherhood is serious about democracy
Issandr El Amrani for the Arabist, part of the Guardian Comment Network guardian.co.uk, Monday 5 December 2011
".....This news has profoundly depressed most educated, middle-class Cairenes I know who had hoped that the overthrow of Hosni Mubarak would be followed by a relatively liberal democracy that would be inclusive of moderate Islamists. It is particularly distressing to non-Muslims, who will now fear the Islamisation of public life that has taken place in the last two decades will be accelerated, with full backing from parliament and government leaders in the next few years.....
The success of the Salafists is more of a surprise, and must reflect their grassroots presence in Egyptian society. But it is deeply worrisome, because the Salafists have made clear in their statements that they are an illiberal party with extreme views on many topics, whatever their charitable works are. In my opinion they should have never been legalised, on the same grounds that far-right parties are often forbidden in European countries, and particularly since Egypt has a law against religious parties (either that, or don't have the law).....
Among my Egyptian friends (most decidedly on the liberal side) there is now tremendous worry about a future in which politics is ruled on the one hand by identitarian Islamist politics and on the other by a populist, hyper-nationalistic army......"
Issandr El Amrani for the Arabist, part of the Guardian Comment Network guardian.co.uk, Monday 5 December 2011
".....This news has profoundly depressed most educated, middle-class Cairenes I know who had hoped that the overthrow of Hosni Mubarak would be followed by a relatively liberal democracy that would be inclusive of moderate Islamists. It is particularly distressing to non-Muslims, who will now fear the Islamisation of public life that has taken place in the last two decades will be accelerated, with full backing from parliament and government leaders in the next few years.....
The success of the Salafists is more of a surprise, and must reflect their grassroots presence in Egyptian society. But it is deeply worrisome, because the Salafists have made clear in their statements that they are an illiberal party with extreme views on many topics, whatever their charitable works are. In my opinion they should have never been legalised, on the same grounds that far-right parties are often forbidden in European countries, and particularly since Egypt has a law against religious parties (either that, or don't have the law).....
Among my Egyptian friends (most decidedly on the liberal side) there is now tremendous worry about a future in which politics is ruled on the one hand by identitarian Islamist politics and on the other by a populist, hyper-nationalistic army......"
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