The West and the Emerging ‘Gray Democracy’ in Egypt

During the past years, the governments of Atlantic Alliance countries have supported the rise of the Muslim Brothers as a governmental force in Egypt. While anticipating deep cultural differences, they bet on the Brothers’ overall democratic orientation. While the North Atlantic governments may partially suspend or withdraw some aid or make it conditional, it is very unlikely that they will stop their support for Egypt or fundamentally change their policy in the short or even the medium term during the country's current crisis. Western policies to support democracy need to become less intrusive, aid policies need to sideline conditionality, and civil society must be given more chances of increasing international communications and mobility.