The Muslim Brotherhood, a Sunni Islamist religious, political, and social movement, has had a significant presence in Egypt since its establishment in 1928. It is estimated to have between 2 and 2.5 million adherents in the country
. The Brotherhood rose to power in Egypt's first modern free election in 2012, a year after the ousting of President Hosni Mubarak. Mohammed Morsi, a member of the Brotherhood, was elected president.However, Morsi's government was overthrown in a military coup led by the Minister of Defense General Abdul Fatah al-Sisi on July 3, 2013. Following the coup, the Egyptian government implemented a broad crackdown on the Muslim Brotherhood, arresting its leaders and members, and shutting down television stations associated with the group. The Brotherhood was excluded from the political dialogue launched by the Egyptian government in 2022.Despite these challenges, the Muslim Brotherhood still has a significant following in Egypt. A poll conducted in 2018 found that 33% of Egyptian Muslims still had at least a "somewhat positive" opinion of the Muslim Brotherhood. However, the group's ability to participate civically and politically remains stifled.As for the possibility of a comeback, it seems unlikely in the current political climate. The Brotherhood's historical course does not give much reason to believe that the group is capable of studying and learning from its own historical experience. Furthermore, the group's behavior in the last few years has been marked by secrecy, aloofness from outsiders, and a tendency to view politics as a zero-sum game, which contributed to Morsi’s downfall.In conclusion, while the Muslim Brotherhood still has a significant following in Egypt, its ability to stage a comeback after Morsi is uncertain due to the current political climate and the group's own internal challenges.
No comments:
Post a Comment