Why did the Libyan Brotherhood decide to become an association?

In an attempt to adapt to the new landscape of elections, the Muslim Brotherhood, present in Libya under the name of justice and construction, is trying to rationalize its position by turning to the Revival and Renewal Association, which will surely practice politics through a political party to avoid accusations of mixing religion with politics.

The group announced in a statement that it had moved to an association called Revival and Renewal, a revival of the call to uphold the moderate Islamic path and teachings. This development followed the 10th and 11th Islamic Conferences, and after rounds of dialog and research in which members of the group participated in several workshops, according to a statement on its Facebook page.

However, it stressed that it will continue to pay attention to public affairs despite the decision to become an association, saying that it will fulfill its mission in Libyan society through its tireless work in various areas of public work.

The group’s decision raised many questions about its aims, amid international pressure on the organization and with the development of political dialog in Libya. Observers see this as a maneuver, especially given the enormous pressure imposed on them after they were designated a terrorist organization in a number of Arab countries.

The Brotherhood was involved in the fueling of the Libyan conflict in the past years after it participated militarily in the efforts to overthrow the regime of Colonel Mouammar Kadhafi in 2011. The Brotherhood was involved in acts of violence and armed conflicts and the formation of militias to fight the Libyan National Army led by Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar.

The Libyan Muslim Brotherhood was also accused of opening the country to Turkish ambitions and turning it into a playground for mercenaries and foreign interference.

Many sources indicate that the organization’s failure to influence Libyan society, which has become known for its ideas, is pushing them to make decisions, especially with political developments and with the upcoming legislative and presidential elections next December.

The Libyan Muslim Brotherhood is working to dispel the cloak of the group that has come to burden them and to claim their Libyan identity. This led former member of the group and member of the Justice and Construction Party, Abdul Razaq Sergen, to say that the group decided that its work should be inside Libya only, which is why it moved to the Revival and Renewal Association, he said in a statement to the official Anadolu Agency, adding that the group now follows no one outside Libya, and does not belong to the Muslim Brotherhood internationally, but has become an association that operates only within the country.

The Brotherhood seems to have become aware of geopolitical changes in the region, especially with regard to the Turkish-Egyptian rapprochement, the political track in Libya, and calls to end extremism and fanaticism in the name of religion.

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