Challenge to Cairo: Is the Muslim Brotherhood a Moderating Influence in Egyptian Politics?

Challenge to Cairo: Is the Muslim Brotherhood a Moderating Influence in Egyptian Politics?








Abstract:


The Muslim Brotherhood was formed in Egypt in 1928, initially part of the resistence to British control. However it was banned as a political party by Gamal Nasser in 1954 over the role of Sharia and a subsequent assassination attempt. Both Anwar Sadat and current president Hosni Mubarak have tried to include the group in mainstream politics without success. Yet in 2005, although not allowed to run as a party, individual members won 88 out of 454 seats in parliament. Does this mean the Muslim Brotherhood has accepted this role, or is it just a way to stay active while planning to install an Islamic state in Egypt? This paper looks at the group”s activities both inside Egypt, as well as in the larger Arab world, to determine if they indeed can be a moderating or malevolent political influence.




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