Why did the Muslim Brotherhood create the Freedom and Justice Party in 2011?

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Founder of the Muslim Brotherood — Muslim Brotherhood Hassan al-Banna, a schoolteacher in Ismailia, Egypt, founded the Muslim Brotherhood in 1928 as an attempt to modernize Islamic society.

Following the 2011 revolution that forced Hosni Mubarak to step down, the Muslim Brotherhood sought to transition into open political participation in Egypt. After the dissolution of the former ruling party, the organization established the Freedom and Justice Party in April 2011 to serve as its formal political vehicle.1

The party was created to provide an organized structure for the Brotherhood to compete in the country's new political landscape. While the group stated that the party’s policies would be grounded in Islamic principles, it was officially presented as a nonconfessional entity that included women and Christians among its members. This strategic move allowed the organization to leverage its existing political infrastructure, ultimately enabling it to dominate the parliamentary elections held between late 2011 and early 2012.1