ABSTRACT
Salafism represents a dogmatic and anti-modernist trend within contemporary Sunni Islam. Salafi parties have emerged as significant political actors especially after the Arab Spring. This development entailed re-framing theological imperatives that would otherwise not allow for the establishment of parties, deemed unlawful modern institutions. Salafi parties have shown willingness to accept the procedures of modern electoral politics: but can they fully embrace a secular and liberal space of politics, whose logic is markedly different from their cherished ideals? This chapter will discuss three case studies to answer this question, namely Kuwait, Egypt,- and Tunisia. Salafi parties, when confronting the logic of politics, are socialised in ways similar to what other Islamist movements have experienced (in particular, the Muslim Brotherhood). However, their ideological tenets will prevent embracing liberalism or internalise a secular public space. This notwithstanding, Salafi parties are poised to be an important feature of Arab Middle East societies for a long time.
