Independent needs

By Mona El-Nahhas
Attempts to reshuffle the seat of opposition power in Egypt's new parliament were the subject of a flurry of closed-door consultations in recent weeks among smaller opposition parties and newly-elected independents. Most notably, businessman Rami Lakah (an independent) has apparently capitalised on his prominent profile and well-known wealth in his efforts to garner political weight through an established political party.
Both the Green Party and the Nasserists, equally in dire need of funds, were courted by Lakah, but consequent negotiations proved that ideology can still surmount financial concerns. In the case of the Nasserists, dissident party-member Hamdein Sabahi, who ran in the elections as an independent, was brought back into the fold to serve as spokesman for the group rather than add Lakah to their ranks.
Sabahi walked out of the Nasserist Arab Democratic Party four years ago over differences with party Chairman Diaaeddin Dawoud, opting instead to try and establish another party under the name of Al-Karama [Dignity]. His request was turned down by the Political Parties Committee, a government-controlled body in charge of licensing new parties. He filed an appeal with the Political Parties Tribunal, which will open its hearings in February, but following contacts with Dawoud, Sabahi agreed to re-join the Nasserists, stipulating (at the request of his colleagues at Al-Karama) that he would not participate in any party activities.
According to Nasserist party sources, Lakah established contact with the party's leadership on 10 December, offering his admiration of Nasserist ideology and suggesting he could solve the party's financial crisis. The debts of the Nasserist Arab Democratic Party are estimated at LE1 million. Allegedly, Lakah sought the leadership of the party's parliamentary group at the People's Assembly in return for his assistance.
"Lakah's proposal was turned down at an emergency meeting of the party's political bureau on the following day," said Hamed Mahmoud, assistant to the party's secretary-general. "The Nasserists would never allow capitalists to dominate the domestic political scene."
Mahmoud dismissed the whole affair as "an example of the political opportunism that prevails these days." On 12 December, the party submitted a list of its parliamentary group members to the People's Assembly. The list named Abdel-Azim El-Maghrabi, Haidar Baghdadi and Hamdein Sabahi, who will serve as spokesman.
"The list did not include Lakah's name, thus putting an end to this silly game," Mahmoud said.
Mahmoud did not explain why the party considered Lakah's suggestion in the first place, though it is widely whispered that the offer had triggered a heated conflict in party ranks, and that Sabahi had made his joining of the Nasserist parliamentary bloc conditional on the party's rejection of Lakah's offer.
Sabahi's move was a blow to Lakah's aspirations, which he has furthered despite an ongoing, though receding controversy over whether he can actually hold a post in parliament. Lakah's eligibility to run in parliamentary elections had earlier been contested on the grounds that he holds both French and Egyptian citizenship. A ruling, handed down by the Administrative Court before the last stage of parliamentary elections actually banned Lakah from participating in the election. But Lakah filed a counter-appeal with the Urgent Matters Court, a legal technicality that resulted in the suspension of the other court's ruling. The Urgent Matters Court still hasn't ruled on the matter, but parliamentary experts claim that a final ruling is irrelevant now that Lakah -- as well as several others whose membership was contested -- took their oaths as MPs last week.
Parliamentary circles have been rife with the rumour of a Lakah-steered opposition, with some sources claiming that Lakah had rallied the support of more than 20 independent deputies to form a bloc capable of acting as the largest opposition group in the Assembly. Wafdist Ayman Nour -- who is not on good terms with Wafd Party Chairman No'man Gomaa -- has been said to sympathise with such a formation. The group would then need an established opposition party that would accept the independents into its ranks, and it doesn't seem like party ideology was of great importance.
Related stories:
A new and different parliament
Tiptoeing toward reform
New parliament launched 14 - 20 December 2000
Taking the poll to the courts 30 Nov. - 6 Dec.
See Elections 2000
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