By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
DailynewsegyptDailynewsegypt
  • Home
  • Business
    BusinessShow More
    Banque Misr to launch green investment fund in 2024
    Banque Misr to launch green investment fund in 2024
    September 23, 2023
    Youssef Boutros-Ghali, the former Egyptian Minister of Finance,
    Former Egyptian Finance Minister Youssef Boutros-Ghali joins Concord International Investment Group
    September 22, 2023
    Mountain View Sets New Standards for Life Experiences Built On the Science of Happiness at iCity
    September 22, 2023
    Egypt's Emigration Minister meets with founding board of Egyptians Abroad for Investment Company
    Egypt’s Emigration Minister meets with founding board of Egyptians Abroad for Investment Company
    September 21, 2023
    ABB allocates €13bn for green transformation by 2030
    ABB allocates €13bn for green transformation by 2030
    September 21, 2023
  • Politics
    PoliticsShow More
    Egypt, Greece, and Cyprus stress coordination on gas, regional issues
    Egypt, Greece, and Cyprus stress coordination on gas, regional issues
    September 23, 2023
    CCCPA, African Union train officials on ‘Climate Responsive Programming for Sustaining Peace’
    CCCPA, African Union train officials on ‘Climate Responsive Programming for Sustaining Peace’
    September 22, 2023
    Egyptian Health Minister highlights country's interest in local drug manufacturing
    Egyptian Health Minister highlights country’s interest in local drug manufacturing
    September 21, 2023
    Egypt leads meeting to urge global support for Sudan’s humanitarian crisis
    Egypt leads meeting to urge global support for Sudan’s humanitarian crisis
    September 20, 2023
    Egypt and EU co-chair GCTF meeting, reaffirm commitment to fighting terrorism
    Egypt and EU co-chair GCTF meeting, reaffirm commitment to fighting terrorism
    September 20, 2023
  • Interviews
    InterviewsShow More
    Microsoft Egypt aims to provide advanced AI models, build solid AI ecosystem: Mirna Arif
    Microsoft Egypt aims to provide advanced AI models, build solid AI ecosystem: Mirna Arif
    September 18, 2023
    I love privacy, and I am not concerned about competition: Yasmine Sabry
    I love privacy, and I am not concerned about competition: Yasmine Sabry
    September 14, 2023
    Sustainability, digital transformation at the heart of our strategy: Heidelberg Materials Egypt
    Sustainability, digital transformation at the heart of our strategy: Heidelberg Materials Egypt
    September 12, 2023
    India welcomes Egypt's BRICS membership: Boosting trade, investment, and access to strategic commodities
    India welcomes Egypt’s BRICS membership: Boosting trade, investment, and access to strategic commodities
    September 11, 2023
    The box office is not a measure of success: Basma Hassan
    The box office is not a measure of success: Basma
    September 6, 2023
  • Culture
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Lifestyle
Reading: The popular myth of the ‘unpopular Ikhwan’
Share
Notification
Latest News
Banque Misr to launch green investment fund in 2024
Banque Misr to launch green investment fund in 2024
Business
Egypt, Greece, and Cyprus stress coordination on gas, regional issues
Egypt, Greece, and Cyprus stress coordination on gas, regional issues
Politics Egypt
Nakhla Gift Shop at Grand Egyptian Museum listed as one of world's best by Financial Times
Nakhla Gift Shop at Grand Egyptian Museum listed as one of world’s best by Financial Times
Culture
Youssef Boutros-Ghali, the former Egyptian Minister of Finance,
Former Egyptian Finance Minister Youssef Boutros-Ghali joins Concord International Investment Group
Business
CCCPA, African Union train officials on ‘Climate Responsive Programming for Sustaining Peace’
CCCPA, African Union train officials on ‘Climate Responsive Programming for Sustaining Peace’
Politics
Aa
Aa
DailynewsegyptDailynewsegypt
  • Home
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Interviews
  • Culture
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Lifestyle
  • Home
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Interviews
  • Culture
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Lifestyle
Have an existing account? Sign In
Follow US
  • Advertise
© 2023 DNE News. All Rights Reserved.
Dailynewsegypt > Blog > Opinion > The popular myth of the ‘unpopular Ikhwan’
Opinion

The popular myth of the ‘unpopular Ikhwan’

Daily News Egypt
Last updated: 2013/05/12 at 4:18 PM
By Daily News Egypt 5 Min Read
Share
Dr Mohamed Fouad
SHARE
Dr Mahmoud Fouad
Dr Mohamed A. Fouad

By Dr Mohamed A.  Fouad

We all know it or seem to think we know it; we like to advance several pieces of evidence to suggest this infamous statement: “The Muslim Brotherhood’s popularity is going down the drain!” However, we never seem to follow this notorious assumption with an important question: So what?

If only the world of politics was a popularity contest, this very popular myth would actually hold water. Unfortunately or fortunately, depending on how you look at it, this notion is as close to a daydream as it is to reality. There are two main reasons why this statement will never materialise into any sort of progress or meaningful change, at least for now.

First, this much touted loss of popularity never seems to give rise to anyone else’s popularity. It is a loss in a vacuum. Let’s survey quickly the status of the opposition and how they have managed to make advances in light of the allegedly dwindling popularity of the Muslim Brotherhood.

The National Salvation Front (NSF) which has surfaced as the most eligible suitor for this loss in popularity is in a perpetual state of disarray. While former presidential candidate Amr Moussa alongside other leaders venomously rejects the notion that the NSF is crumbling, the front has walked away from several opportunities to score any significant advances or offer viable alternatives to the situation. Furthermore, this makeshift coalition is destined to be torn at the ideological level as it is comprised of all the currents of the political spectrum from leftists, to social democrats to conservative right-wingers. It is opposition by mere brute force rather than dialogue. Even the “force” part is questionable!

The other remaining forces of opposition such as the Salafis are dealing with their own demons. On one hand, they are seeing their support base splintered between the emerging Al-Watan Party and the Hazem Salah Abu Ismail supporters, just to list a few. Moreover, the group cannot lead a staunch opposition, which would risk them appearing to side completely with NSF, for fear of alienating their own support base.

Second, the true measure of popularity is determined by numbers at the polls. We spend all day long recounting the colossal missteps by the Muslim Brotherhood; in reality there are too many of those to count. But when it comes to polling, the Muslim Brotherhood and Islamist groups at large have secured five wins at the polls, including the March 2011 constitutional referendum, the 2011 parliamentary elections for both chambers, and the presidential elections and finally they were able to pass the new constitution. Time and time again their ground campaign machine has delivered them victory. While some people will debate the decisiveness of some of those victories as well as cast doubts due to polling irregularities, the facts do not change. No single party is capable of reaching the masses on such a broad scale as the Muslim Brotherhood. It was only former presidential candidate Ahmed Shafiq who came close to throwing a wrench in their campaign by mustering an equally efficient ground campaign and almost harvesting this unpopularity.

Politics firmly remains a game of numbers and mobilisation. You have to win an election to get a mandate. Winning elections is all about brute work and field campaigning rather than loud rhetoric, talk show appearances and meetings behind closed doors. There are not many options on the table but to engage in the electoral process to prove or debunk the myth. Many people have regrettably become disenchanted with this process because it has failed to deliver them the results they expected.  The new reality is however not about who has the best vision but rather who can control the crowd. Or as in the great words of Alexander Woollcott: “I’m tired of hearing it said that democracy doesn’t work. Of course it doesn’t work. We are supposed to work it!”

Mohamed A. Fouad is a global expert on service quality as well as a political and social activist

 

You Might Also Like

Opinion| US-backed India-Middle East economic corridor: A political project?

Khartoum: the creation and the destruction of a modern African city

Genocide fears in Sudan’s Darfur are attracting little attention − have nations abandoned their responsibility to protect civilians?

Opinion| Rise of new powers and US decline: Challenges and opportunities

Can we get better at predicting earthquakes?

TAGGED: Amr Moussa, Dr mohamed fouad, Hazem Salah Abu Ismail, Ikhwan, Muslim Brotherhood, National Salvation Front, salafis
Share this Article
Facebook Twitter Email Print
Previous Article The Brotherhood’s democratic failures
Next Article Calling all animal activists
770 Comments

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Ad image
Ad image

Stay Connected

Facebook Like
Twitter Follow
Instagram Follow
Youtube Subscribe

Latest News

Banque Misr to launch green investment fund in 2024
Banque Misr to launch green investment fund in 2024
Business
Egypt, Greece, and Cyprus stress coordination on gas, regional issues
Egypt, Greece, and Cyprus stress coordination on gas, regional issues
Politics Egypt
Nakhla Gift Shop at Grand Egyptian Museum listed as one of world's best by Financial Times
Nakhla Gift Shop at Grand Egyptian Museum listed as one of world’s best by Financial Times
Culture
Youssef Boutros-Ghali, the former Egyptian Minister of Finance,
Former Egyptian Finance Minister Youssef Boutros-Ghali joins Concord International Investment Group
Business
//
Egypt’s only independent daily newspaper in English. Discuss the country’s latest with the paper’s reporters, editors, and other readers.

Quick Link

  • Home
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Interviews
  • Culture
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Lifestyle

Sign Up for Our Newsletter

Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!

© 2023 DNE News. All Rights Reserved.

Join Us!

Subscribe to our newsletter and never miss our latest news, podcasts etc..

Zero spam, Unsubscribe at any time.

Removed from reading list

Undo
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Lost your password?