( CNN ) -- Moammar Gadhafi 's exit from Libya is a reminder that the Arab awakening will not just fizzle out , despite what some observers are saying . Recently , commentators pointed to the public cheers heard in Egypt as the army pushed protesters out of Tahrir Square as a signal that the uprisings were petering out and the hope of the Arab Spring would soon be lost . The doomsayers were wrong . Indeed , the uprisings are entering a difficult but inevitable phase where the two sides -- the protesters and the leaders -- are at a loss on how to proceed . The protesters , on one hand , still have no leadership and have yet to translate their protests into any coherent political and economic reform program . With initial objectives in Egypt and Libya met -- the overthrow of dictators that ruled over them for years -- they have not been able to move into the next phase of building an alternative system of governance . Their message is dying out , and regular people , who are relieved that Hosni Mubarak and Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali are gone , want to see their countries move beyond street protests that are starting to upset their already difficult economic situations . This is what lies ahead in Libya . On the other hand , the one party able to lead a gradual reform process -- ironically the ruling elite , such as the military in Egypt -- is largely unwilling to embark on a process that would slowly rid itself of its privileges and install a pluralistic , stable and prosperous system based on merit rather than patronage . No one should be surprised by this . Ruling establishments in the Arab world have always made sure that political parties and civil society organizations are either suppressed or outlawed . There are few alternative leaders and systems . In such an atmosphere , organized parties like the Muslim Brotherhood , which commands about 20 % of the popular vote in Egypt , will be sure to use their organizational and mobilization skills to gain political representation that will exceed their popular strength . The ruling elite , fearful of this , will naturally resist opening up political systems and resort to economic and security measures in a desperate attempt to stem the tide of change . But the only way to deal with opposition parties that are not totally committed to democracy is to gradually open up the political systems to real alternatives , instead of casting all protest votes against the ruling systems in favor of the Islamists . After the Arab public has a sense of what freedom feels like , it will not accept the replacement of secular autocrats by religious ones . It would be wrong to assume that because of these difficulties , the uprisings will fizzle or die down . What has taken place in the Arab world is the start of a genuine and permanent process of change where the average citizen suddenly discovered real power . Although the ability to effect change peacefully is a new phenomenon in the Arab world , it is a wave that will only grow . Organizations such as al Qaeda are the first to lose , having unsuccessfully preached violence . But so will ruling establishments , if they do n't internalize the new reality and lead a serious reform process that redistributes power among the executive , legislative and judicial branches . The only way to keep power in the Arab world from now on will be to share it . The process of change is one that will take decades to unfold , it wo n't be linear , and it will undergo many seasons , multiple times over . But it is irreversible . During a recent trip to Jordan , I was most struck by a young generation no longer afraid to talk about all the issues relating to their future , and talk openly without taboos . This generation is not willing to live by the rules their parents faced , nor afraid of the powerful intelligence services in making their views known . Both sides are wrong , however , to stick to tactics that do n't work anymore . Protesters need to start organizing themselves into political parties , develop programs and build constituencies . They need to shift from starting change to institutionalizing it . Otherwise , they will be unable to maintain public support . Ruling elites should n't conclude that the status quo can be maintained because public support for protests seems to be wavering . They need to understand that they can not push aside opposition parties like the Muslim Brotherhood , act as if they do n't exist or deal with them through security measures . Both ruling establishments and the protesters need to know that they have to engage in constituent politics . Even with a quick change in Libya , the short-term future will be messy , very bumpy and undoubtedly feature lots of mistakes and missteps . But waiting and doing nothing is no longer an option . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Marwan Muasher .
Ahmed Muasher : Doomsayers who say Arab Spring is petering out are wrong ; it is irreversible . Muasher : Elites and governments are at an edge , need to move toward consensus building . Protesters have political parties and programs , he says , and they must unite . It will be hard , he says , but the only way ahead in the Arab world is a sharing of power .