EGYPT - The 80 Year Old Political Force

"Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood Flexes Potent Political Force" PBS Newshour 9/14/2011

Excerpt

MARGARET WARNER (Newshour): Now the Muslim Brotherhood, long confined to only social and religious service, could soon become the dominant force in the government.

Since the ouster of President Hosni Mubarak seven months ago, all Islamist movements are free to take part in politics. The Brotherhood quickly formed a political wing, the Freedom and Justice Party, to compete in November's parliamentary elections. Though campaigning is not officially permitted yet, its banners hang throughout Cairo.

But the party is taking it slowly. It has pledged to restrict itself to running in only half of Egypt's districts this time.

ESSAM EL ERIAN, Freedom and Justice Party: We need, as people, concrete majority for building the new democratic era.

MARGARET WARNER: Former Brotherhood official Essam El Erian, now vice president of the party, says the Brotherhood won't try to attain a majority on its own, but he hopes that the wider Democratic Alliance for Egypt, that they have joined, will.

ESSAM EL ERIAN: We are not going to have lonely a majority in the incoming Parliament. But we are aiming and targeting to have more than 30 or 35 seats. And with our alliance, we can achieve majority.

MARGARET WARNER: So why would the Muslim Brotherhood, so much better known, financed and organized than any other group throughout Egypt, put any restriction on itself? The reasons are both practical and strategic.

Analyst and writer Amr Hamzawy says, despite its advantages, the Brotherhood knows its limits and what the country and the world will accept.

AMR HAMZAWY, political analyst: They know quite well that they do not have in terms of calibers and skills enough people to rule Egypt on their own. And they have a clear understanding of the fact that the international environment nor the regional environment can take an Egypt which is dominated by Islamists as of now.

And they have patience. I mean, that movement has been out for 80 years, so they know to be patient when they play politics.

MARGARET WARNER: The Egyptian voters they're trying to appeal to are 90 percent Muslim and 10 percent Coptic Christian. Those most are religiously pious, lifestyles here run the gamut.

A recent rally in Tahrir Square sported women in technicolor head scarves and black abaya, men in everything from T-shirts to full beards, and a Philadelphia Phillies fanatic a long way from the South Side leading prayers.