Political Islam – From North Africa to Southeast Asia

27 May 2013

The Arab Spring has indeed opened up new opportunities for political Islam in the Middle East and North Africa, but that has not translated into Islamic parties such as the Muslim Brotherhood significantly changing the structure of the state. Today, the CSS’ Lorenzo Vidino explains why.

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On 25 April 2013, we partnered with the Indonesian Embassy in Bern, Switzerland, and the external pageSwiss Forum on Foreign Policy (foraus) to host an ISN-CSS roundtable discussion on “Political Islam - From North Africa to Southeast Asia.” In the following video, the Center for Security Studies’ Lorenzo Vidino talks about the role political Islam currently plays in the post-Arab Spring Middle East and North Africa. While Islamist parties such as the Muslim Brotherhood have emerged as major political actors, Dr. Vidino argues that they have not significantly tinkered with the nature of two frontline states – Egypt and Tunisia. This is not only because of inevitable bureaucratic obstacles, but also because the Islamists believe in a gradual approach to change.

For additional reading on this topic please see:
Religious Democracy and Civilizational Politics
Religion and Politics in Arab Transitions
The Uprisings: The Future of North Africa and the Middle East