Muslim Brotherhood wants half of parliament, not presidency
By Nehal El-Sherif, dpa
Cairo (dpa) - Egypt‘s Muslim Brotherhood revealed its plan on Saturday to contest up to 50 per cent of the parliament in the next polls, but will not field a candidate for the presidency.
Following a meeting of its decision-making consultative council, the group said it had decided to contest "45 to 50 per cent" of parliament‘s 508 elected seats in September‘s scheduled elections.
The Brotherhood also approved a programme for their Freedom and Justice Party, which they set up after the January 25 uprising that forced former president Hosny Mubarak and his government out.
Mohamed Morsy, a spokesperson and a member of the group‘s guidance bureau, will head the party.
"It is not a theocratic party. It will be a civil party," Morsy told reporters, adding that the party will be "independent from the Brotherhood but will coordinate with it".
Egypt‘s constitution bans parties based on religion or class.
"The council stresses that it will not nominate a candidate for presidential elections of the Republic, and will not support any member of the group who runs for office," the group said.
Egypt‘s presidential elections are scheduled for November.
The Muslim Brotherhood ran its candidates as independents in previous elections. In 2005, they won nearly a fifth of the total in the People‘s Assembly, making them the largest opposition bloc in the lower house of parliament.
Formed in 1928, the group has risen to become the largest and most organised opposition force in Egypt. Although it was officially banned and faced heavy government crackdowns during Mubarak‘s rule, it remained politically active.
Following the uprising, the Muslim Brotherhood has repeated that it does not seek power nor a majority in parliament.
However, the announcement of seeking half of parliamentary seats might add to fears by other parties that the Brotherhood will sweep into power due to its already huge popularity in the region‘s most populous country.
In February, a Cairo court approved the establishment of the Al-Wasat Al-Jadid political party, after its applications for official status were denied for 15 years.
The moderate Islamic party was the first to be given a licence to operate after an 18-day popular uprising forced president Mubarak to resign on February 11.
Earlier this month, the former ruling National Democratic Party (NDP) was dissolved by a court ruling and its assets returned to the state, following pressure by activists for the party‘s abolition.
The party had ruled Egypt from its establishment by late president Anwar Sadat in 1978 until the ouster of Mubarak.
dpa
Publised: 30 Apr 11
Links:
http://bit.ly/jQYCOb
http://bit.ly/kBNYLn
Cairo (dpa) - Egypt‘s Muslim Brotherhood revealed its plan on Saturday to contest up to 50 per cent of the parliament in the next polls, but will not field a candidate for the presidency.
Following a meeting of its decision-making consultative council, the group said it had decided to contest "45 to 50 per cent" of parliament‘s 508 elected seats in September‘s scheduled elections.
The Brotherhood also approved a programme for their Freedom and Justice Party, which they set up after the January 25 uprising that forced former president Hosny Mubarak and his government out.
Mohamed Morsy, a spokesperson and a member of the group‘s guidance bureau, will head the party.
"It is not a theocratic party. It will be a civil party," Morsy told reporters, adding that the party will be "independent from the Brotherhood but will coordinate with it".
Egypt‘s constitution bans parties based on religion or class.
"The council stresses that it will not nominate a candidate for presidential elections of the Republic, and will not support any member of the group who runs for office," the group said.
Egypt‘s presidential elections are scheduled for November.
The Muslim Brotherhood ran its candidates as independents in previous elections. In 2005, they won nearly a fifth of the total in the People‘s Assembly, making them the largest opposition bloc in the lower house of parliament.
Formed in 1928, the group has risen to become the largest and most organised opposition force in Egypt. Although it was officially banned and faced heavy government crackdowns during Mubarak‘s rule, it remained politically active.
Following the uprising, the Muslim Brotherhood has repeated that it does not seek power nor a majority in parliament.
However, the announcement of seeking half of parliamentary seats might add to fears by other parties that the Brotherhood will sweep into power due to its already huge popularity in the region‘s most populous country.
In February, a Cairo court approved the establishment of the Al-Wasat Al-Jadid political party, after its applications for official status were denied for 15 years.
The moderate Islamic party was the first to be given a licence to operate after an 18-day popular uprising forced president Mubarak to resign on February 11.
Earlier this month, the former ruling National Democratic Party (NDP) was dissolved by a court ruling and its assets returned to the state, following pressure by activists for the party‘s abolition.
The party had ruled Egypt from its establishment by late president Anwar Sadat in 1978 until the ouster of Mubarak.
dpa
Publised: 30 Apr 11
Links:
http://bit.ly/jQYCOb
http://bit.ly/kBNYLn
