ASSESSMENTS

Bargaining for Egypt's Presidency

Apr 6, 2012 | 13:21 GMT

The Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood's presidential candidate Khairat el-Shater

KHALED DESOUKI/AFP/Getty Images

Summary

The Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood's (MB's) March 31 announcement that it was reversing its decision not to field a presidential candidate elicited strong reactions from across the political spectrum. Egyptian secular liberals and many Western observers condemned the move as further evidence of an Islamist monopolization of the political system. Even factions of the MB have condemned the senior leadership of the movement for being hypocritical and unreliable in their decision-making. The ruling Supreme Council of Armed Forces (SCAF), however, has been noticeably quiet. The SCAF actually cleared the way for the MB to compete for the presidency.

Though risky, the MB's move was not a reckless act of defiance against the military rulers of the state. In fact, the MB's presidential bid appears to be the result of a broader negotiation with the SCAF over the future power balance of the country. Ultimately, this is a contest between the MB for power and the military in managing that power.

The Egyptian military leadership has facilitated the Muslim Brotherhood's decision to field a presidential candidate....

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