Egypt's National Dialogue unlikely to include Muslim Brotherhood
Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi called for a political dialogue with his opponents, but many wonder if the Muslim Brotherhood will be invited to attend.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi's call for a political dialogue with his opponents in the country renewed talks about the future of the Muslim Brotherhood and the possibility of the group’s reintegration into political life. This comes nine years after sweeping nationwide protests that ousted the Muslim Brotherhood from power.
The Muslim Brotherhood has been battling unprecedented internal division and rift since its ouster from the rule of Egypt in July 2013. Ever since, the group has been searching for a foothold that guarantees the security of its members and the continuity of its activities amid the restrictions imposed on it in Egypt, where most of its top-level leaders are in prisons and face conclusive death penalties.
Meanwhile, the Muslim Brotherhood has also been increasingly wary of the noticeable improvement in Egyptian relations with countries that once strongly supported them. Since January, ties between Egypt and Qatar have been steadily improving.
For its part, Turkey is expressing a pressing desire to mend its ties with Egypt as part of its efforts to break its regional isolation. For this purpose, Ankara seems to be inclined to put an end to the support it had once lent to the members of the Muslim Brotherhood and its supporters over the past years.
