How Much Power Will the Muslim Brotherhood Yield in Next Week’s Egyptian Elections?
- Posted on November 24, 2011 at 5:00pm by
Billy Hallowell
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Vehicles pass under a banner supporting Muslim brotherhood candidates for the upcoming parliamentary elections in Cairo, Egypt. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil, File)
CAIRO (The Blaze/AP) — For months, Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood has focused single-mindedly on this moment – parliamentary elections beginning Monday that the fundamentalist group is expected to dominate. Now it may be a pyrrhic victory.
The Brotherhood stayed on the sidelines of this week‘s protests by secular liberal groups demanding the country’s military rulers step down, hurting its image among key sectors of the Egyptian public who accuse the group of siding with the generals and selling out democracy demands to gain power.
By staying out of the protests, “the Brotherhood has made it clear that they want elections because they want the seat of power, no matter what that seat looks like,” said Abdel-Jalil el-Sharnoubi, who once headed the Brotherhood’s website until he quit the group earlier this year in frustration with its leadership.
Ever since the Feb. 11 fall of autocratic leader Hosni Mubarak, fears have been growing among some Egyptians that the country would take a strong turn toward Islamic fundamentalism.
The Brotherhood was long repressed under Mubarak but it built up Egypt’s largest and most disciplined political organization, with tens of thousands of members around the country, as well as a network of charities providing food, money and medical care to the poor. They have been campaigning furiously for months, while liberal, leftist and secular parties that arose since Mubarak’s fall have been disorganized and divided, struggling to build up their national presence.
But the group’s popularity has limits. Particularly, even many Egyptians who have no problem with greater religious conservatism in public life are suspicious that the Brotherhood is too authoritarian in its ways and too eager to rule. For that reason, the blow to the Brotherhood reputation stings, undermining the image it has pushed hard in its election campaign that it is a trustworthy, pious group that – as their slogan declares – “brings good for Egypt.”
In August, the Blaze highlighted allegations that the Brotherhood was seeking to ban skimpy bikinis and alcohol in the streets — regulations that resemble Sharia Law.
Egyptian riot police throw stones during clashes with protesters near the interior ministry in downtown Cairo, Egypt, Sunday, Nov. 20, 2011. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)
The explosion of protests against the military, which stepped in to rule when Mubarak fell, pushed the Brotherhood into a corner. Activists accuse the generals of acting as much the dictators as Mubarak and seeking to retain power. The protests, which began Saturday, have only grown as security forces try to suppress them, killing nearly 40 people even as the crowds have swollen to tens of thousands.
The Brotherhood refused to join the rally out of fear they would swell out of control and delay the elections. On Tuesday, the Brotherhood and several smaller parties met with the generals of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces and agreed to a compromise.
Under the deal, the military would form a new interim civilian government, parliamentary elections would go ahead on schedule, but presidential elections would be moved up to the end of June, after which the military would step aside.
Protesters rejected the deal, demanding the generals surrender power immediately.
The damage from staying out of Tahrir may not be heavy enough to set back the Brotherhood’s election showing, given its powerful campaign machine. In one possible scenario, the violence in Cairo’s Tahrir Square and in cities around the country could even benefit it. If turmoil reduces turnout at the polls, the Brotherhood’s results could be inflated because its supporters are the most organized and will cast ballots in large numbers no matter what.
But the chaos will undermine the legitimacy of the vote, and the parliament that emerges will have a deeply damaged mandate. Many liberals already say the parliament won’t be truly representative. Even if the Brotherhood and other Islamic parties gain the largest bloc or majority, they will have a difficult time pushing through any agenda at a time when divisions among all Egypt‘s factions have been enflamed by the past week’s violence.
And the prize itself is not so sweet – a legislature and government under the shadow of the military, which will keep its overwhelming power at least until the end of June, after presidential elections are held. The military, as head of state, is attempting to take a major role in writing the next constitution, a process that parliament has expected to oversee.
“Whatever leadership emerges from the election will only be secretaries for the military, and if elections take place, the only result will be to divide Egyptians more,” said el-Sharnoubi, the former Brotherhood activist.
Younger Brotherhood members have defied the leadership’s decision and joined the demonstration. Loyalties among Brotherhood youth have been increasingly fraying since the uprising against Mubarak as cadres feel pressured to choose between the group and the “revolution.”
Mohammed al-Gebbah was running for election in the Nile Delta province of Damietta on the Brotherhood’s slate, but he froze his campaign – and his membership in the group – to join the crowds in Tahrir.
“I couldn’t imagine myself campaigning while my people here got killed for no reason but only calling for freedom,” he said, standing at his tent in the square. “How could I be elected under the authority of the military council, whose hands are stained with blood of the Egyptians.”
“These elections are Egypt’s, not the elections of the Brotherhood’s leaders,” he said. “The Brothers are not all of Egypt, they are part of Egypt.”
Al-Gabbah says he still hopes to reform the Brotherhood from within. But in past months, others have broken completely to join other parties, including forming a new movement called the Egyptian Current, which avoids religious references in its rhetoric altogether.
The Brotherhood leadership “is working just like Mubarak regime,” said Ahmed Zahran, an Egyptian Current activist. “It has lost sensibility of what the street wants. It has lost the people’s sympathy.”
Brotherhood officials have insisted that the decision to stay out of the square was to avoid chaos that would hurt the country. The deal they reached with the military, they point out, moves up the date for the military to hand over power, which under the generals’ previous timetable would not have come until late 2012 or early 2013.
Kamal el-Helbawi, formerly a senior figure in the Brotherhood who quit the group, said the dispute could diminish the number of seats they win in parliament but “not very seriously.”
The problem, he said, is that the alternatives in the campaign are not strong. Several liberal and leftist parties have formed, but they are far less known than the Brotherhood and have been unable to unify their ranks because of personal and political disputes.
“If there was an alternative,“ the Brotherhood chances would be ”limited,” he said.
Estimates of how much of parliament the Brotherhood could win have varied, a reflection of how unpredictable Egypt has become since Mubarak’s fall. Participation was minimal in elections under the old regime and choices were restricted, so the leanings of vast swaths of the population of 85 million are unknown. Observers and Brotherhood members have predicted anywhere from 20 percent to 50 percent.
Under Mubarak, the Brotherhood ran in parliamentary elections, scoring its biggest victory in 2005 when it took 20 percent of the seats.
“The situation is very fluid right now and the undecided voters are much more right now,” Khalil Annani, expert in political Islamic groups said. I don’t think there is a single force will take the majority.”
Other Islamic groups are also running, particularly the ultraconservative Salafis, who follow an ideology close to puritanical Saudi Arabia, and parties more moderate than the Brotherhood. But the chances of them forming an “Islamic bloc” in parliament are unclear because of longtime divisions between them. Early in the campaign, the Brotherhood attempted an election alliance with the Salafis, who later quit complaining that the Brotherhood was too domineering.
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Comments (47)
KangarooJack
Posted on November 27, 2011 at 7:30pmGee, one only has to look to Wisconsin as a prime example of Muslim Imports to see what happens. Past are the days of “You betcha and uhuh” from straight forward thinking people. Now their major cities are known as Sanctuary cities for Somalian Muslim Imports who do NOT LOVE the Country they have moved into. Nope, they have no intention of assimilating nor becoming American Citizens. Within 10 years all you Atheist Liberals who cracked jokes about the rest of us needing tinfoil hats will find yourselves on the other end of a very blunt, hard rock aimed at your non Allah loving head.
P.S. Don’t EVEN think about drawing a cartoon about Islam…then the rocks will be even smaller and less sharp…all the better to draw it out for you.
Report Post »zoro51
Posted on November 27, 2011 at 7:09pmore MURDERING MUSLIM CRAP more icessant killings for a FALSE GOD. egypt never recoverd form when god distroyed them.. n its still carring on.. IS this really news… weve had enough of MURDERING MUSLUMS crap let egypt fall as it has many times n move on…
Report Post »war7412
Posted on November 27, 2011 at 2:14pmPREPARE…….They are HERE already….just waiting on word from GUESS WHO??????? 2012 is coming……
Report Post »hh2011
Posted on November 28, 2011 at 12:44pmby even typing that, you are showing the world your ignorance.
Report Post »captaincameron
Posted on November 26, 2011 at 1:16pmThis is the beginning of some big stuff.
Report Post »Egypt’s previous administration–and “flawed” only begins to describe them–at least honored the treaty with Israel.
When (not if) the Muslim Brotherhood is in charge in Egypt, that will drop. Israel will have to increase its forces on the Egyptian border, which means less for the Syrian border, which is the route Iran is taking to get their forces on the ground into Israel.
Our President–and “flawed” only begins to describe him–will do nothing.
The only things you can do when surrounded by hostiles is surrender or attack. Israel is not big on surrender.
MMSands
Posted on November 26, 2011 at 9:02amWait a minute! Wasn’t Glenn Beck a whacko conspiracy theorist for even suggesting that the Muslim Brotherhood still exists, let alone that it would have ANY kind of a foothold in the post-Spring Egypt? Could have sworn there were troll posts willy-nilly to that effect, right here at The Blaze, in fact.
Say, wha?
Report Post »KangarooJack
Posted on November 27, 2011 at 7:21pmYou are correct and there are a great many of us who heard and (gasp) listened.
Report Post »broach
Posted on November 26, 2011 at 7:29amIf I can understand what the muslim brotherhod stand’s for, why can‘t those idiot’s in Washington. Maybe that‘s there intention to get those pesky jews out way as some of our world so called leader’s like to refer to Isiarel. Just a reminder you play with fire and will get burned.They are so arrogant they apparently don’t see the bond between Christian and the jewish people. 2012 make are break get out and VOTE. Don‘t let your kid’s and grandkid’s down!
Report Post »Apple Bite
Posted on November 25, 2011 at 8:42pmThe police throwing stones? Just think, the Liberals would love to see this from U.S. citizens…
Report Post »NILAP
Posted on November 25, 2011 at 7:02pmMuhammand abandoned Islam a long time ago. Islam is not the religion Muhammad wanted. I have to agree with the Bahais on this one.
Report Post »Sibyl
Posted on November 25, 2011 at 3:13pmFriday, November 25, 2011 in Tahrir Square, Muslim Brotherhood rally in Cairo’s most prominent mosque Friday turned into a venomous anti-Israel protest, with attendants vowing to “one day kill all Jews.”
Some 5,000 people joined the rally, called to promote the “battle against Jerusalem’s Judaization.” The event coincided with the anniversary of the United Nation’s partition plan in 1947, which called for the establishment of a Jewish state.”
The Koran actually states that Jews and women are sub-humans. Islamic countries that violate human rights and promote violence and terrorism should not be members of the UN.
Islam is just an international aggressive racist coercive intolerant hate group no better than the KKK.
Report Post »Eagle in NYC
Posted on November 25, 2011 at 8:29amDon’t you mean?
Report Post »“How much power will the Muslim Brotherhood WIELD in next week’s Egyptian elections?”
Fina Biscotti
Posted on November 25, 2011 at 6:58am@ Ashes to Ashes:
I believe you!!!!!! Under the radar, Obama is providing BILLIONS in US taxpayer money to companies building HUGE barracks-style housing complexes around USA – ignoring zoning laws – and without building permits – portrayed to communities as mixed-income housing – but when there is opposition – bc of lack of building permits on ILLEGAL construction sites – he gets federal court judges to accommodate BOGUS lawsuits based on false claims of all opposition is only based on race.
When in fact, all oppositon is based on lack of building permits – that all other real estate developers and property owners are required to have – by law.
Then federal cout judge issues court orders against parish govt officials to obstruct them going on premises – to prevent them from conducting building inspections – elevation, pilings, electrical, plumbing, fire – and threatens everyone w heavy sanctions, contempt of court, and Jail time – if they try and stop work at these ILLEGAL construction sites.
USDC Judge Ginger Berrigan is the corrupt federal court judge in New Orleans – w Provident as the real estate company -
that is able to get this judge to force water to be turned on and electricity – WITHOUT having occupancy permits.
Provident Real Estate gets HUD and Fair Housing as Plaintiffs – to push bullshyt Con Game – of all opposition is based on race – in New Orleans Times-Picayune – will print LIES and BOGUS shyt as a Cover-Up – to what is actually going.
Report Post »Fina Biscotti
Posted on November 25, 2011 at 7:01amNow we hear the same situation is happening in New York = real estate developing companies coming into town like gang-busters – start building HUGE complexes without ANY permits – and filing BOGUS lawsuits claiming opposition is only about race.
Report Post »Fina Biscotti
Posted on November 25, 2011 at 6:25amMuslim Brotherhood dictating White House meetings and more = Islamic Totalitarianism:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sL6JK55ql1E&feature=player_embedded#1
Report Post »This_Individual
Posted on November 24, 2011 at 11:44pmI don’t care. Bring our troops back home, close all foreign bases. Then we will save a bit ‘o money AND we will have enough folks to station on our borders.
Report Post »TJexcite
Posted on November 24, 2011 at 7:59pmIt all depends how much power the army gives them. Egypt was a military coup and they will have control over the government. It is unlikely that the army will give power to former enemies that they hunted under Mubarak. The Muslim Brotherhood are the useful idiots that the army is using to gain full control of everything that they want. The fact that the are even having elections shows that the army is already fully infiltrated, If the MB or other controlled that army they would not want an election to loss anything.
Report Post »TJexcite
Posted on November 24, 2011 at 8:03pmMissed a Not.. The army is not infiltrated by the Muslim Brotherhood. They are their own special group who has and looking for more power.
Report Post »lukerw
Posted on November 24, 2011 at 8:53pmThere are some major factions… that will not tollerate a win by the opposition. The Revolution will continue, even after the Elections!
Report Post »Kiba
Posted on November 24, 2011 at 7:39pmJust take a look at what they call the “Police” there will you. If thats the police A.K.A. the authorities heaving stones at people I would hate to see the bad guys. They are savages and should be given nuclear bombs to hurl at eachother. Did anyone really think that if you gave them the rope over there those people wouldnt hang theirselves? And whats really sad is gonna be when those animals start destroying those ten-thousand year old relics and mummies and stuff because they “arent in the quran” or some crap like that.
Report Post »Kiba
Posted on November 24, 2011 at 7:35pmWho gives a flier? Who cares who takes control over there, if the worlds lucky they will kill themselves out. Then move on to the next islamic country, then the next and the next and so on and so on …..
Report Post »Eliasim
Posted on November 24, 2011 at 7:13pmThe entire beloved City is encamped all about by Gog and Magog, and people on here don’t even know it but 99 out of 100 on here are Gog and Magog.
Report Post »Eliasim
Posted on November 24, 2011 at 7:09pmDo you ever get the feeling Gog and Magog are completely camped about and all around the beloved City? I know I do, and even my neighbors are Gog and Magog.
Report Post »Eliasim
Posted on November 24, 2011 at 7:18pmThere is a simple definition of Gog and Magog, and it is anyone who is the next few generations down the lineage from the original person who knew the exact truth and the one who knew the way things are supposed to be. More or less, Gog and Magog is the ungrateful offspring.
Report Post »garbagecanlogic
Posted on November 24, 2011 at 6:33pmWith the help of George Soros, Van Jones, Code Pink and Barry Soetero, they will definitely get into power.
The U.S. Out Of The U.N.
Report Post »The U.N. Out Of The U.S.
philipzhao
Posted on November 24, 2011 at 7:09pmObama ought to be proud of his great achievement since his OCCCCCCCCUPATION of the White Mosque !
Report Post »Zippo1911
Posted on November 25, 2011 at 6:56amThe question we should entertain is “How much they will influence the elections in this country.” I fear for us all in 2012
Report Post »jakartaman
Posted on November 24, 2011 at 6:28pmAnyone who thinks a Muslim country will not wind up under sharia law is DELUSIONAL.
Report Post »Islam preaches killing, lying etc for the spread of the faith. Deception is a big part of Islamic philosophy.
There is no such thing as a moderate Muslim – they are just the biggest liars, especially in non-muslim countries.
If you want a real eye opener on Islam “ The Islamic Antichrist”
Not so much a religious book – but an education on muslim theology – plain out scary Every American Christian/Jews should read it. It quotes Islamic scholars in their own words – WOW
Latter-Day-Soldier
Posted on November 24, 2011 at 7:41pm“Sharia Law for Non-Muslims” is a 50 page booklet published by the Center For The Study of Political Islam. This booklet explains exactly what treatment a non-muslim can expect from a society where the majority is muslim, including what tactics muslims use to get into positions of power in the country they are living in.
Report Post »ISBN# : 978-0-9795794-8-6. The booklet can also be read online as well from the first web address.
Web sites are http://www.politicalislam.com and http://www.cspipublishing.com
ares338
Posted on November 24, 2011 at 6:08pmWho cares?
Report Post »SpankDaMonkey
Posted on November 24, 2011 at 6:02pm.
How Much Power Will the Muslim Brotherhood Yield in Next Week’s Egyptian Elections?
Answer: ALOT………
Report Post »blue_sky
Posted on November 24, 2011 at 5:51pmThe more Beck is paranoid about muslims and pandering to Jewish audience, the more he becomes unimportant in USA political discourse. I prefer Ron Paul simple ideas, like stopping visas to muslim “students” or “refugees” from countries that sponsor terrorism. Than we can retire TSA gropers tomorrow.
Report Post »garyM
Posted on November 24, 2011 at 6:06pmI agree with Ron Paul and simple!
Report Post »ashestoashes
Posted on November 24, 2011 at 6:09pmThat’s cool Blue Sky.. but what about the Muslim Brotherhood‘s influence in America and it’s connections to the WH and the furnishing of weapons to the Muslim Brotherhood’s Hezbollah Drug Cartel in Mexico and the lawsuits to bar their exile from Arizona and other states. Hezbollah is and has been decapitating people in Mexico..and are making threats at the voting polls in Mexico…They have slipped into New Mexico now..Have you ever seen this Blue Sky? A theocracy not to be taken lightly.
Report Post »http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMLJJEDDDGc
pamela3355
Posted on November 26, 2011 at 2:43pm@blue-sky Why don’t you move to a nice warm wonderful country that is under Sharia Law. People like you shouldn’t even be on this page. Your hear to create doubt. Glenn Beck is the leader in spreading the truth. Prepare, train, survive what is coming.
Report Post »NOBALONEY
Posted on November 24, 2011 at 5:43pmThe elections are only the first step. I believe that there’s an agreement between the Military council and the Muslin Brotherhood to share power.
Report Post »phillipwgirard
Posted on November 24, 2011 at 5:51pmi agree
Report Post »garyM
Posted on November 24, 2011 at 5:12pmProbably not near as much as they will contribute in campaign contributions and votes to the democratic party in Nov of 2012!
Report Post »Morris
Posted on November 24, 2011 at 7:16pmI don,t care what the Barbaric Satan Cult of Islam or the Muslim Brotherhood are doing in Egypt!
Islam is a growing “CANCER” That will kill every country that they Invade!
“WE THE PEOPLE” Must start to worry about Islam,Sharia -Law and the Muslim Brotherhood here in our America!
With Dictator Barack Hussein Obama our Muslim-in-chief working with “CAIR”,Saudi Arabia and the
Muslim Brotherhood, “WE THE PEOPLE”Must STOP DICTATOR BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA FROM BRINGING MORE OF HIS CHOSEN PEOPLE “MUSLIM” FROM ALL OF THESE 3-RD WORLD COUNTRIES INTO OUR AMERICA!
The last big “EXECUTIVE ORDER” of Dictator Obama was to bring 60,000 to 80,000 Muslims from
Somalia into our Country!
These 60,000 to 80,000 Muslims are comming into our america everyday by the plane loads,With
no Security or Backgorund Checks run on any of these people!
These Muslims have no Education or Job Skills of any kind,They have nothing to offer to or for
the good of our America!
75% To 90% of all Muslims in our America are on Welfare or Social Security,and now Dictator Obama is bringing in another 60,000 to 80,000 more Muslims to sign up for Welfare and Social Security!(WE HAVE NO JOBS OR NO MONEY, BUT YET DICTATOR OBAMA KEEPS BRINGING
INTO OUR AMERICA,ALL OF THESE 3-rd Class World People?
Also all of the younger Muslims,You the middle class working Americans Tax Payers,Will have to pay to send them all to College,(WHEN YOU CAN,T AFFORD TO SEND YOUR OWN CHILDREN TO COLLEGE)!
IMPEACH OBAMA,SAV
Report Post »ashestoashes
Posted on November 24, 2011 at 9:22pm@ MORRIS You are right..I know that he appropriated 20 milion to relocate Hamaas affiliated muslims from Pakistan..Pakistan has been sharing nuclear technology with our countries such as North Korea, Iran, China and Lybia.. He brought in I don’t know how many black somalis and the Cathollic Church placed a large part of them in Rick Perrys state…and Seattle was it.? Then a teacher in Texas was telling me the other day that there were muslim imports from 6 or 7 other countries coming into their school..I understand that there are approximately 3 million muslims here that we know of..and there are over 2 thousand Mosques. and one of the biggest underground terrorrist training camps is in…..Chicago Illinois…go figure
Report Post »SurhanSurhan
Posted on November 25, 2011 at 1:50am@ MORRIS- You need to put the crack pipe down. You make no since at all! You’re just babbling. How can Barack be a dictator when he got the majority of electoral votes?!
Report Post »SurhanSurhan
Posted on November 25, 2011 at 1:57am@ ASHESTOASHES- Turn of the shortwave radio, remove the tin foil from your head and come out of the basement. Step into the real world. Come on in, the water is fine. See, all these conspiracies are a figment of your imagination.
Report Post »joe1234
Posted on November 25, 2011 at 10:18amyeah this from a hate-fille wacko who lionizes a MUSLIM assassin….
Report Post »