As Egypt's powerful Muslim Brotherhood met on Tuesday to discuss potentially reneging on their promise not to field a candidate in the country's upcoming presidential election, fears of a complete Islamic transformation in Egypt are beginning to take hold in the country. In many ways, for the liberals and activists in the country, who had hoped that a moderate figure, such as former Brotherhood top official Abdel Moneim Aboul Fotouh would be able to bridge the growing divide between the Islamists and the liberals, an official MB candidate could go a long way to ending those hopes. “I think where we are at is to simply worry about the future of Egypt and its democracy,” one liberal MP told Bikyamasr.com on condition of anonymity due to his role with the Constituent Assembly. He argued that if the Brotherhood does put forward a candidate, “it could spell the official end to the revolution and what we had fought for.” Others tend to agree, with activists telling Bikyamasr.com that at the current moment, the democratic and civil future of Egypt could very well be determined by whether or not a Brotherhood candidate for president is launched. But the Brotherhood believes it is in their right to put a candidate forward, especially since they dominated a parliamentary election troubled by recent violent clashes, which saw many liberals remain at home. The argument, the Brotherhood, and their Freedom and Justice Party (FJP), give is that they have a mandate to rule, giving them clear authority to nominate a candidate. Still, observers say they might have been elected popularly, and have a right to be in power, a mandate they do not have. “If we look at the polls, and the individual centers don't have clear statistics, only 51 percent of Egyptians voted in the election,” said political analyst Bassem Hamdy in Alexandria. He argued that “while this is definitely proof they won an election, that's barely a mandate. They didn't even win 50 percent of the seats overall. That is not the full population.” And therein lies the struggle for the Brotherhood. They understand, say experts, that if they do not field a candidate, and the constitution gives solid power to the top job, their current hegemony over Parliament and politics in Egypt, could begin to unravel, especially if a candidate unfriendly, Aboul Fotouh, is victorious. FJP leaders however have a different take on the current situation, arguing that since they announced last year that they would not run a candidate, the country, and its needs have changed. “We are still fighting for human rights, freedom and the revolution,” said Amr Derrag, the Giza chief for the FJP. “But when we said that before we didn't think that our leadership would be required for the presidency, but with the military battling for power, we might need to enter the race.” He argued that the military junta's grip on power could result in an election that Egyptians don't want, which has the Brotherhood leadership concerned over its future power and control over government. For activists, who continue to demand an end to military trials, greater freedoms and a civil state, the potential candidacy of a Brotherhood member has stoked fears that Egypt is heading down a path toward conservatism never before seen in its modern history. “This is really scary because when you have a bunch of Islamists pushing Islam, they forget that there are other people in the country who don't want things this way, and arguing with them gets no where,” said Samiha, a young 20-year-old university student and ardent supporter of women's rights and a civil state. “Without a civil state, there is little room for change because Islamic law is so strict,” she added. Despite those fears, Derrag said that “all groups will be respected including women and Christians.” For many Egyptians, the question is to what extent, and for how long? BM ShortURL: http://goo.gl/fVrOU Tags: Brotherhood, Candidate, Egypt, featured, President Section: Egypt, Features, Latest News, Religion
