Egyptian state television on Saturday reported that the entire executive board of the ruling National Democratic Party (NDP) had resigned, following reports that certain board members had hired thugs to attack protesters currently demanding the ouster of President Hosni Mubarak. The board included NDP Secretary-General Safwat al-Sherif, who also heads the Shura Council, the lower chamber of parliament; Policies Secretary Gamal Mubarak, son of the president; Information Secretary Ali Eddin Hilal; Minister for Legal Affairs Mufid Shehab; and Presidential Chief-of-Staff Zakaria Azmy. State television also announced that Hossam Badrawy, the party's leading reformist and head of the Policies Secretariat's education and scientific research committee, was appointed as policies secretary in place of Gamal Mubarak. He also took al-Sherif's place as party secretary-general. Badrawy, who hails from a wealthy family, is a professor of obstetrics at Cairo University, a member of the board of trustees of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, and president of the Nile Badrawy Hospitals Group. Badrawy had repeatedly declared his opposition to the ruling party in the past, calling for constitutional amendments to streamline the procedures required for fielding candidates in presidential elections.
