Column: On political alliances in Egypt

My latest al-Masri al-Youm column, about the recently announced alliance between the Muslim Brotherhood and the Wafd party (and others), is up. I think the whole thing is a sham, and am getting tired of such time-wasting at such a crucial moment in Egyptian politics.

Comments

[SP]

I have to respectfully disagree here. Whether or not you or I like this alliance (or whether the Wafd is missing an opportunity, as you seem to think, to be a nice liberal rightist party) is not the point - it is what the alliance says to the wider world and what the partners want it to say. There were several such multi-party fronts in the post-Kefaya days as well that were big-tent and did not last long but were significant in creating some sense of solidarity between the parties, and even if an electoral alliance does not come through, the signalling of both parties is significant. I take your point about this not being a "true" alliance yet as there has been no agreement on voting lists and so on but given the uncertainty on electoral rules at this point (hell no-one even knows when the SCAF will announce elections, finally) there is unlikely to be any desire on the part of any group to make firm agreements. Which is frustrating, yes, but natural on their part. And I wouldn't rely too much on what one person within a party might say, not knowing who that person is or how close/alienated they may be with the leadership.

Again, I am not there and don't have all the facts at all, but based on what you've presented and based on the typical behaviour of parties at times like this, it doesn't seem all that reprehensible that these groups should try to form a common front, to look like the respectable established opposition or whatever. What's more surprising to me is that Tagammu made a show of joining it too, pretty hilarious to imagine Rifaat Said gritting his teeth to talk to the Bros.

[Issandr El Amrani]

My problem with this alliance is that it's not even serious to start with. Yesterday papers reported the dissent about the alliance inside the Wafd. If these parties were coming together on a clear agenda for the transition to democracy, that would be one thing. But they are talking of an _electoral_ alliance even before the rules are out.