Egypt’s Islamists: Threat or opportunity?
As Islamists emerge from elections as the country’s leading political force, we ask if Egyptians should be concerned.
Visiting Cairo, former US President Jimmy Carter says that despite some irregularities Egypt’s elections were free and fair.
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“What we are seeing is free and fair elections… but they certainly don’t represent all sectors of society“ – General Mukhtar al-Mulla, a member of SCAF |
The Freedom and Justice Party, the Muslim Brotherhood’s political wing, will be the biggest party in Egypt’s new parliament. In a stunning victory for Islamist politicians, the Salafist al-Nour Party will have the second largest number of seats.
Egypt’s ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) has renewed its pledge to hand over power to an elected civilian government by mid-2012.
But activists who have taken to the streets over the last 11 months accuse the military of murdering protesters and demand a speedy handover to civilian rule.
Will the Freedom and Justice Party try to form a government soon? And if they do, can they solve the crisis in the country?
Inside Story discusses with guests: Joshua Stacher, a professor of political science at Kent State University; Dia’a Rashwan, al-Ahram Center for Strategic Studies; and Dr Sherif El-Haggan, a professor, AUC.
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“They have pledged to me and to the world that they will take an objective point of view, the Muslim Brotherhood, and that they will govern as one of the major parties in the new parliament in a balanced way and respect the human rights of others who might have a different approach to religion.” – Jimmy Carter, former US president |