Muslim Brotherhood’s Political Party Banned
Steven L. Taylor
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Sunday, August 10, 2014
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6 comments
Via the BBC: Egypt court bans Muslim Brotherhood’s political wing
Dissolving the Freedom and justice Party (FJP) was expected. The political wing of the banned Muslim Brotherhood movement can no longer compete in the next parliamentary elections, expected to be held before the end of this year.
Its members can run either as individual candidates or form a new political party. But the latter is highly unlikely, given the severity of the crackdown on the Brotherhood.
About Steven L. Taylor
Steven L. Taylor is a Professor of Political Science and a College of Arts and Sciences Dean. His main areas of expertise include parties, elections, and the institutional design of democracies. His most recent book is the co-authored
A Different Democracy: American Government in a 31-Country Perspective. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Texas and his BA from the University of California, Irvine. He has been blogging since 2003 (originally at the now defunct Poliblog).
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This is…good. Right?
Also, Egypt brokering deals between Hamas and Israel. Also good? Considering the history, both ancient and recent, how is that even possible?
I’m asking sincerely. I can’t say I’ve been following Egyptian politics enough to know.
“Put down your guns, pick up the ballot.” we said. So they did, and then they won an election. The powers that be decided that losing a single battle in the War of Ideas was more than they could survive, overthrew the democratically elected government, threw it’s leaders into jail, gave them all kangaroo trials, sentenced the lucky ones to death, and have now banned them from using the ballot.
Tell me again how Osama Bin Laden was wrong when he said the gun was the only way to win?
@James Pearce:
No, it is bad. It virtually ensures that the politics not guns argument among the radicals is lost and Egypt will see a low grade insurgency rather similar to the mid 1990s.
@OzarkHillbilly: Rather more like the Neo Mamlouks in the Army decided that the Brotherhood threatened their interests.
@Lounsbury: I agree that the political argument is over. My hunch is that a low-level conflict is the best-case scenario, though, and if this accomplishes it, that’s not a bad thing. Remember, Morsi wasn’t exactly George Washington.
@Pinky: No it is not the best-case scenario, it is an ongoing disaster for Egypt.
I am well aware of what Morsi was – and I did not need Anglophone media to know him. (rather more useful is he was not a Mandela, there is little relevant to an ancient polity like Egypt in the American political framework).
Morsi was a blunderer and a stiff-necked ideologue. That does not make exclusion of the Brotherhood from politics wise in any way shape or form.