Send page Print

Europe & Middle East / Working Paper

Political Islam: ready for engagement?

04/02/2005 By Emad El-Din Shahin

The voluminous literature on reform and democratization in the Middle East region reveals a number of facts: a main obstacle to reform are the incumbent regimes that have been trying to resist and circumvent genuine democratic transformations, is the first of them.

Secondly, political reform cannot be credible without integrating moderate Islamists in the process; and external actors (mainly the US and the EU) have not yet formulated a coherent approach to reform that could simultaneously achieve stability and democracy in the region.

This Working Paper explores the possibilities and implications of a European engagement with moderate Islamists on democracy promotion in the region. It argues that the EU approach to political reform in the Middle East region needs to be enhanced and linked to realities on the ground.

Political reform cannot be effective without the integration of non-violent Islamic groups in a gradual, multifaceted process. It should be highlighted that the process of engagement is a risky one for both the EU and the Islamists, yet both stand to gain from a systematic dialogue on democracy.

To reduce the risks, the engagement with political Islam should come within a broader EU strategy for democracy promotion in the region.

In fact, what the Islamists would expect from Europe is to maintain a consistent and assertive stand on political reforms that would allow for a genuine representation of the popular will through peaceful means.

In this regard, a number of questions seem pertinent. Does the EU really need to engage political Islam in democratic reforms? Is political Islam ready for engagement and will it be willing to engage? How can an engagement policy be formulated on the basis of plausible implementation with minimal risks to the interests of the parties involved?

Download the full version of this publication, available in English (137 kB)
Spanish (153 kB)

Keywords

Democracy Democracy promotion Islam Political Reform

Related publications

• Political reform and the prospects for democratic transition in the gulf

Bio author: Emad El-Din Shahin

He earned his B.A. (1980) and M.A. (1983) from the American University in Cairo and his Ph.D. (1990) from Johns Hopkins University, School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). Emad El-Din Shahin is currently the Faculty Advisor for the Political Science Association and for the newly formed (2004) Model Egyptian Parliament. He also teaches a variety of courses in comparative politics, the Middle East, and North Africa.