Three Egyptian liberal and leftist political parties have retreated from joining a parliamentary electoral alliance formed by Hosni Mubarak-era minister Kamal El-Ganzouri.
The liberal Conference and Ghad parties, along with the leftist Tagamoa Party, said on Tuesday they won’t join the alliance, still unnamed, due to a lack of “vision” and “clarity in knowing the partners.”
Conference Party spokesperson Magda Badawi told Ahram Online that her group is discussing future plans with the Ghad and Tagamoa parties.
The parties, which are supportive of the current government, were initially part of the Egyptian Front, another alliance with Mubarak-era figures. These included the National Movement, Modern Egypt and Egypt My Country parties that reportedly agreed to press on with joining El-Ganzouri’s alliance, unlike the other three.
No exact date has been set for parliamentary elections, which President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi said will take place before the end of March of next year.
The elections are still pending the finalisation of a law which will redraw the country’s electoral constituencies – the result of which will have a big influence on the poll. A preliminary draft of the law was approved by the cabinet this week.
Meanwhile, Egyptian parties are discussing electoral alliances with some coalitions still under formation, in preparation for the polls, though none have been solidified yet.
Groups unallied to Mubarak figures are also seeking to unite, including an alliance between the liberal Constitution Party and the Egyptian Popular Current. The liberal Wafd Party – Egypt’s oldest political party – is also leading an alliance with a number of other parties.
Mubarak, who ruled Egypt with an iron fist for almost 30 years, was toppled in February 2011 in a nationwide uprising denouncing his rule.
There have since been calls to shun Mubarak-era government and political figures from taking part in current politics. A law was set in place to bar members of his dissolved National Democratic Party to run for parliament. However, it was later scrapped.
Source: Ahram Online
