The Muslim Brotherhood (MB) group seized power in a number of Arab countries following the Arab Spring revolutions in 2011. But it has quickly lost control in the wake of the spread of terrorism, the rise in crime rates, and the deterioration of living conditions. Except in Libya, where the group still dominates the political scene in the Western region of the country.
The recent changes in the Muslim Brotherhood’s leadership will cast a shadow over its officials in Libya, who have been involved in numerous scandals and defections in recent years.
Salah Abdel-Haq was chosen as the Acting General Guide, to succeed Ibrahim Al-Mounir, who passed away in early November.
Since the death of Al-Mounir, the Muslim Brotherhood’s fronts in Turkey and Britain are at loggerheads over who will assume the ‘General Guide’ post.
Salah Abdel-Haq is considered a prominent theorist and historian for the group, and was responsible for the education department, during his stay in Saudi Arabia.
Born in 1945, he joined the group at the age of 19, when he was studying at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ain Shams University, Egypt. He was imprisoned for 10 years over his suspected involvement in an attempted coup against the late Egyptian President, Gamal Abdel Nasser in 1965.
Observers believe that the differences between the Muslim Brotherhood’s key figures over the new General Guide herald the imminent collapse of the group completely.
Others say that the differences will cast a shadow over its presence in Libya, which is considered its last stronghold in the Arab world.
The MB collapsed after two popular revolutions in Egypt and Sudan, while the group’s presence in Tunisia is seen as a disappointing failure by constitutional procedures.
Despite the failure of the Brotherhood in Libya during the 2014 Parliamentary elections, the group is still present on the country’s political scene. Especially through the Fajr Libya (Libya Dawn) military operation, which led to the effective split of the country.
The MB continues to dominate in western Libya, with the support of its members who occupy senior positions. These include the Head of the High Council of State (HCS), Khaled Al-Mishri, and the Governor of the Central Bank of Libya (CBL), Al-Siddiq Al-Kabir.
