Look Who's Getting Votes

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El-Erian's latest tussle occurred this year, when authorities sent him back to prison for six months for organizing antigovernment street protests. He was released only three weeks before the first round of parliamentary voting. Though freed too late to run for parliament, el-Erian took command of the party's political wing and set up an operations center to coordinate activists, respond to reports of voter intimidation and conduct exit polls. Interviewed by TIME after the final results, el-Erian downplayed fears that the Brotherhood would focus on such issues as banning alcohol and veiling women according to Islamic rules, saying it would seek gradual change in line with the sentiment of the electorate. El-Erian says that in parliament, the Brotherhood's immediate agenda will be "freedom, freedom, freedom."

El-Erian's geniality could make him a future presidential rival of Mubarak's son, Gamal, 42, who has not ruled out a presidential bid in 2011. It also won't hurt the Brotherhood's image with the U.S. As an activist in the 1980s, el-Erian became friendly with Francis Ricciardone, then a young embassy official and currently ambassador to Egypt. So far, the old acquaintances have failed to reunite. Ricciardone suggests the U.S. ban on meetings could be waived for the Brotherhood's M.P.s, telling TIME, "We have always had contact with elected independent members of parliament." Now that they're entering Egypt's halls of power, el-Erian and the Brotherhood aren't likely to be ignored much longer.