THE ISLAMIST-leaning pan-Arab New Wassat (Centre) Party was dealt a blow on Saturday when a court turned down its request for a licence. The Political Parties Court, an affiliate of the State Council, rejected the party's fourth attempt in 10 years to acquire a licence despite optimism by its founders that the authorities would finally legalise Al-Wassat. The court's decision followed the surprise pullout of seven of the party's founders, all Copts. According to Al-Wassat's founder Abul-Ela Madi, the seven were subject to intense pressure from the authorities to with=draw their membership "in order to thwart their quest for legality". Madi was speaking at a press conference on Monday. Although he did not refer to the Orthodox Coptic Church, observers believe it too played a role in pressuring the Coptic members to quit the Islamic-oriented party. Madi contested the court's decision and a court session has been scheduled for 3 June. Prior to Saturday's decision, Madi and other members had held out hope they would receive a licence, basing their optimism on the recommendations of the State Commissioners Authority (SCA), a branch of the Supreme Administrative Court, which came out in July in favour of granting Al-Wassat a licence. Although the SCA's recommendations are non-binding in the court, its support was interpreted as a sign that the authorities would approve the party's formation and that the government was willing to embrace Islamism the way Turkey and Morocco approved the formation of Islamic parties. Wassat's first attempt to obtain a licence was in 1996. The request was turned down by the Political Parties Committee, the quasi-governmental body responsible for licensing political parties. Its second and third attempts, in 1998 under the name of the Egyptian Wassat and in 2004 as the New Wassat, were similarly rejected. Since then the authorities have repeatedly investigated the political and ideological affiliations of Al-Wassat's founding members. Madi believes the authorities are now convinced Al-Wassat will not provide a backdoor for the Muslim Brotherhood. The would-be party's founders include several university professors and women.
