Reform and Development Party (Egypt)

The Reform and Development Party (Arabic: حزب الأصلاح و التنمية, romanizedHizb Al-Islah wa Al-Tanmiyah) is a liberal political party in Egypt.

Reform and Development Party
حزب الأصلاح و التنمية
ChairmanMohamed Anwar Esmat Sadat
FounderMohamed Anwar Esmat Sadat
Founded2009; 15 years ago (2009)
HeadquartersCairo
IdeologyLiberalism
Political positionCentre
National affiliationCivil Democratic Movement[1]
ColorsGold
House of Representatives
9 / 568
Website
http://www.rdpegypt.org/

History and profile

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The Reform and Development Party was founded in 2009.[2] The founders of the party are Mohamed Anwar Esmat Sadat, the ex-president Anwar Sadat's nephew, and the Egyptian billionaire Raymond Lakah.[3] The initial license application of the party was rejected in July 2010.[2] It was legalized in May 2011, just after the Egypt's 25 January Revolution in 2011.[2]

The party participated in the 2011–12 Egyptian parliamentary election and won 9 seats in the lower house.[4] The party merged with the Misruna party (Our Egypt party) in June 2011; the party name changed slightly.[3]

Although the Reform and Development Party participated in the 2015 parliamentary elections, Sadat criticized the election process, which was delayed for 7 months, as well as the Supreme Constitutional Court being allowed to rule on complaints against election laws.[5]

The party has gradually distanced itself from president Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, and Sadat briefly ran in the 2018 Egyptian presidential election, though he withdrew.[6] Sadat criticized the pro-Sisi "Alashan Tbneeha" (To Build It) campaign on constitutional grounds for allowing government employees to publicly support the campaign. Supporters of his own campaign, "Benhab al-Sadat" (We Love al-Sadat), have been harassed by the government.[7]

References

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  1. ^ "Eight liberal and leftist Egyptian parties to boycott 2018 presidential elections". Ahram Online. 30 January 2018. Archived from the original on 10 February 2018. Retrieved 30 January 2018.
  2. ^ a b c "Reform and Development Party". Jadaliyya. 26 December 2011. Archived from the original on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 5 October 2014.
  3. ^ a b "Reform and Development". Egyptian Elections Watch. 28 December 2011. Archived from the original on 13 December 2013. Retrieved 16 December 2013.
  4. ^ "Masrawy". Archived from the original on 2012-01-23.
  5. ^ "Egypt's opposition forces will not boycott upcoming parliamentary polls". Ahram Online. 10 August 2015. Archived from the original on 12 August 2015. Retrieved 13 August 2015.
  6. ^ "Sadat nephew and Sisi critic drops Egyptian presidential bid". The Guardian. 15 January 2018. Archived from the original on 15 January 2018. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
  7. ^ "Sadat criticizes "Alashan Tbneeha" petition for constitutional concerns". Egypt Independent. 24 October 2017. Archived from the original on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 24 November 2017.
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