ABSTRACT
Arab militaries have maintained significant political influence throughout the 2011 uprisings. The influence of political parties meanwhile depends on a) the influence charismatic leaders had in their early struggles against European colonialism; b) the post-Cold War trend to ostensibly democratize in exchange for the persistent inflow of external support, leading to façade multi-party systems; and c) the continuing contestation of Islamist parties, in particular the Muslim Brotherhood and its many local offsprings.
In sum, the analysis shows that Arab political parties have been rather pawns in the armies’ hands than autonomous actors: used when necessary, dismissed when possible. Yet they have donme so to different degrees. While the Egyptian army has been outstanding for its deep entrenchment within society and exceptional financial possibilities, neighbouring armies struggle to keep a united front and prevent potential future uprisings. Their permanent involvement in politics may indeed run the risk of societal fracturing or coups by rival generals.
