№059: Democratic Opposition Alone Will Not Bring Democracy to Egypt
№059: Democratic Opposition Alone Will Not Bring Democracy to Egypt

Author(s): Amal Mukhtar, Patrycja Sasnal
Subject(s): Civil Society, Governance, Government/Political systems, Security and defense, Developing nations, Geopolitics
Published by: PISM Polski Instytut Spraw Międzynarodowych
Keywords: democracy; democratization; Egypt; domestic policy; Middle East; Middle East and North Africa; North Africa
Summary/Abstract: The creation of a new, united secular opposition group in Egypt (the National Salvation Front, or NSF) in November 2012 met with a sigh of relief in Europe and the U.S. It is viewed as the only democratic force in a country torn between Islamism and reactionism. The NSF itself, however, represents but a fraction of society, lacks homogeneity, and seems to be driven by basic political motivations rather than a sense of responsibility, just like the Muslim Brotherhood (MB) and its affiliates. More than two years after the fall of Mubarak and a year after the first democratic presidential elections in Egypt, only national reconciliation can save the country, which has seen a series of unconstitutional developments, remains without a parliament, and is on the brink of bankruptcy. Without reconciliation, all political parties, including NSF, will continue to lose support.

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