Alliance building between Islamists and secularists in the Egyptian opposition

This chapter examines different attempts at alliance building and cooperation between Islamists and secularists in the Egyptian opposition in three distinct arenas: parliamentary elections, issue-based movements and committees, and professional syndicates. These three arenas have been important sites of competition and collaboration between Islamists and secularists in the opposition, on the one hand, and between the various forces in the opposition and the regime, on the other. Moreover, contestation in these arenas, though often limited, has provided different actors in the opposition with the opportunity to measure their relative size and popularity, to articulate their political programs, and to appeal to a broader audience.