Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
- Follow Carnegie
- Search
- Global Resources
Global Centers
Languages
Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood stands on the brink of an impressive electoral victory, but it is not clear how much its past decisions and behavior will guide its future actions.
Tunisia is in the middle of a more promising process of transition than any other country so far, although a lot could still go wrong.
The spectrum of political Islam in Egypt now includes the Muslim Brotherhood, several conservative Salafi parties, and two Sufi political parties. Although these groups share a common foundation in Islam, there the similarity ends.
Arab monarchs have an opportunity to embark on a path of far-reaching political reform without losing their thrones, but the window to act is closing
Kuwait's political struggles more closely resemble those of 19th century Europe than the Arab Spring taking place in Cairo or Tunis.
Challenging Egypt's Supreme Council of the Armed Forces requires sustained unity of purpose and determination among civilian leaders and political parties and movements, and a favorable external environment, neither of which is assured at present.
Egypt’s protracted series of parliamentary balloting has just begun, but it is not too soon to think about the implications of presidential elections that have yet to be scheduled and which may be a cause deep concern.
The responses of the military and secular parties could determine whether Egypt is headed toward a government dominated by Islamists or a less threatening alliance of the Muslim Brotherhood’s Freedom and Justice Party and secular parties.
Early polling in Egypt suggests that Islamist movements are receiving the bulk of the vote, but both the country and the Muslim Brotherhood might be better served by an outcome like Tunisia’s, where Islamists have political strength but must still reach out to others to get anything done.
Domestic and international attention is focused on elections and written constitutions in the Arab world, but democratic structures won’t thrive until education is reformed to teach free thinking, respect for other people's opinions, and citizenship.