Die Links-Parteien sind offenbar nicht die einzigen, die wegen Mangel an überzeugenden Ideen und wirtschaftlicher Herausforderungen an Popularität verlieren: Alongside exports, employment and growth, the financial crisis is claiming a less-talked-about victim: political Islam. In Muslim countries worldwide, voters have begun turning their backs on Islamist and other values-based parties in favor of dry but competent economic technocrats. Take Turkey, where the religious Justice and Development Party (AKP) suffered badly in local elections last month. Instead of financial issues, Erdogan campaigned on a variety of Islamist platforms, including criticism of Israel. The AKP dropped 8 points in popular support and lost votes even in its Anatolian heartland. A similar pattern played out in Indonesia last week. Poll results are still being tallied, but Islamists seem to have performed poorly.