The Wafd Party is collaborating with Egypt's ruling powers in advance of the upcoming parliamentary elections, according to Ghad Party MP Ragad Hemeida. "Nobody can deny what Al-Masry Al-Youm has published about these deals," Hemeida said, referring to previous stories about allegations of collusion between the regime and one of Egypt's oldest political parties. "Wafd party has mastered such agreements with all regimes, starting from the period before the 1952 revolution and until now." Hemeida said the allegations of a deal between the regime and Wafd, by which the latter secured 23 seats in parliament through the next elections, is "100 percent true," adding that Wafd MP Yassin Serag Eddin's success in the Kasr el-Nil district was due to an agreement with the ruling National Democratic Party. Hemeida said that Wafd MPs talk of freedom of the press and attack the detention of journalists, but complain when Al-Masry Al-Youm discloses details of Wafd's deals with the regime. The Wafd Party's official newspaper has waged a campaign against Al-Masry Al-Youm since the story broke. Hemedia also discussed fissures within his own party, calling on Ayman Nour's Ghad Party bloc to reunite with that of Moussa Mostafa Moussa. Hemeida is affiliated with Moussa's front. Concerning the nomination of Ismail Mohamed Ismail for parliament, Hemeida said that Ismail has had parliamentary ambitions since he joined the party in 2005, but added that the party has not yet slated its candidates. Ismail is the brother of Nour's wife Gamila Ismail. Hemeida asserted that the Ghad Party will have a significant representation in the next parliament without having to strike deals. Translated from the Arabic Edition.
