The Muslim Brotherhood and remnant elements of the National Democratic Party, which dominated Egyptian politics for decades, were the main supporters of the referendum. They argued that the election timetable would ensure a swift return to civilian rule.

... many other opponents of the referendum said religious organizations had spread false rumors, suggesting that voting against the referendum would threaten Article 2 of the constitution, which cites Islamic law as the main basis for Egyptian law.

Learning from past experience it was now making use of the multi-party system and elections equated by Western ruling circles to a democratic system playing the electoral game to get into parliament, or local government to gain control of professional, cultural, trade union, and social organizations.

It was also moving more and more into the media (newspapers, T.V., radio, publishing houses), continuing to work hard at setting up a network of health, educational and other services, using the thousands of mosques more effectively, infiltrating into the judiciary, banks and economic enterprises, making use of the considerable resources and high level connections at its disposal especially in the Gulf countries.