Plagued by infighting, disorganization and disparate ideologies, the non-Islamist parties that backed the July coup against Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi are struggling to capitalize on the downfall of their chief political foe, four months after the leader and his Muslim Brotherhood backers were ousted from power.

A coterie of liberal, leftist and other secular and nationalist groups adamantly supported Morsi's ouster, later cheering on a brutal security crackdown that left more than 1,000 people dead and crippled the Islamists' ability to organize politically.

But even with the competition gone, and with parliamentary elections expected in early 2014, Egypt's non-Islamists are still adrift. Failing to articulate clear political messages or to construct a solid electoral base, some of these groups are now relying on the popular military or the pervasive anti-Islamist sentiment for political survival.