With the parliamentary elections, the last phase of Egypt's road map just around the corner, Egypt's political parties are on the move to form electoral coalitions in an attempt to secure as many seats as possible. The 2015 Parliamentary elections to the House of Representatives will be held in March 2015. The First Phase will take place March 21, 22 for Egyptians abroad and March 22, 23 for Egypt's residents. The Second Phase will take place April 25, 26 for Egyptians abroad and April 26, 27 for Egyptian residents. Preparations for the Parliamentary elections started on July 15, 2014, in implementation of a presidential decree asking the Supreme Electoral Commission (SEC) to begin the necessary procedures. The parliament will include 567 members, 420 of whom will be elected through the individual candidacy system and 120 through the lists; 27 will be selected by the President. Fifty Six seats will be allocated to women, 16 seats to young people, 8 to the disabled and 24 to Christians. The Elections Law, approved by the then interim President Adly Mansour on June 5, 2014, has faced widespread opposition by the political parties, including the Constitution Party, the Egyptian Popular Current, the Dignity Party, the Socialist Popular Alliance Party, the Freedom Egypt Party, the Justice Party and the Bread and Freedom Party, which met to coordinate their demands. The New Wafd Party, the Free Egyptians Party and the Egyptian Social Democratic Party have released a statement July 8 calling on President Sisi to amend the law. The Free Egyptians Party, however, has changed its stance on the Elections Law; it will not ask for amendments so that an election can be held as soon as possible. Coalitions 1- The National Alliance, set up by former Prime Minister Kamal Ganzouri, which is expected to secure a majority of seats in the parliament, includes 120 individuals chosen from a list of parties. The Alliance is facing accusations that it has allowed figures from Mubarak's regime to run on its list. 2- The Liberal Egyptian Wafd Alliance, which includes Al Wafd, the Egyptian Democratic Social party, the Conservatives, the Reform and Development Party, the Awareness Party and the Partnership Current, will coordinate its activities with the Reawakening of Egypt Alliance and the Tagammu Party, and is expected to represent the opposition against the National Alliance. 3-The Independent Current Coalition is composed of 36 parties, including the Democratic Peace party, the Egyptian Revolution party, the Nasserist Party, the Revolution Party, Egypt's voice party, the Egyptian National party, the Democratic Union Party, the Sufi Victory Party, the Egyptian Renaissance Party, the Tahrir Party, the Guardians of the Revolution Party, the Egypt 2000 party, the Life Party, Modern Egypt, the Green Party, Young Egypt, the Human Rights Party, Social Peace, and the Future Egypt party. 4-The leftist Social Justice Coalition, includes the National Commission for Change, Almo'tamar, the Nasserist Party, the Alwafaq National Nasserist Party, the Egyptian Tahrir Party, the Egyptian Communist Party, the Egyptian Forsan (Musketeers) Party, the National Egyptian Council Party, the Alkanana Movement, the Egyptians Abroad Movement, and The Disabled Movement. 5- The 25-30 Alliance, a coalition of independents which includes amongst others, Khaled Youssef, Shahenda Moqalad and Abd Elhalim Qandil. 6-The Democratic Alliance of Civil Forces, which includes a majority of the leftist parties, the Constitution Party, the Popular Current, Dignity, the National Socialist Alliance, the Egyptian Freedom Party, the Justice Party and the Workers Movement led by Kamal Abbass, in addition to a number of independent political figures, including former minister Ahmed Al Boraie and National Council for Human Rights' member George Isaac. 7- Egyptian Hope Coalition, which includes the Conference Party and the El-Ghad Party. 8- The Long Live Egypt Alliance. 9- The Call of Egypt Alliance. Independents The Free Egyptians Party has refused to join any coalitions and will compete independently; the El-Nour Islamist Party¬ - a former ally of the Muslim Brotherhood's Justice and Freedom Party - will also compete independently. The Islamist Building and Development Party will boycott the elections, and The Popular Current Party is not running. Revolutionary entities A number of revolutionary movements, including Tamarod, Revolutionary Power, the Revolution Youth Alliance, the 3rd Republic youth, the Free Front for Peaceful Change and Future Leaders, will also run independently.
