Columbia International Affairs Online: Working Papers

CIAO DATE: 05/2015

Egypt's Nationalists Dominate in a Politics-Free Zone

Ashraf El-Sherif

April 2015

Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

Abstract

Salafism has been one of the most dynamic movements in Egypt since 2011. Dealt a difficult hand when Hosni Mubarak was ousted from the presidency, Egyptian Salafists have skillfully navigated the transition. Their entry into the political marketplace marked a historic shift toward a new political Salafism and sheds light on whether an Islamist movement can integrate into pluralistic modern politics. The ouster of Mohamed Morsi by a popularly backed military coup in 2013, however, dealt a debilitating blow to the Islamist project—and left deep cleavages within the Salafist movement.