The National Democratic Party (NDP) will likely remain on the political scene even if the state confiscates its headquarters, several political activists and experts say. However, they say the party will be a faltering political power because of its declining popularity and lack of credibility. Ashraf al-Sherif, a political science lecturer at the American University in Cairo, said the party will no longer be as strong as it was because it does not have a clear ideology nor does it enjoy genuine popularity among Egyptians. He told Al-Masry Al-Youm that the party was monopolized by a network of businessmen who served their own interests. This era is coming to an end as Egypt wages its war on corruption, he added. Al-Sherif said that Egyptians have developed enough awareness to tell honest politicians and liars apart, which will dim the NDP's chances of winning in the forthcoming elections. However, NDP officials have on several occasions said the party will continue, even though the Supreme Council of Armed Froces is examining the possibility of confiscating its buildings. Established by former President Anwar Sadat, the NDP has two headquarters in each of Egypt's 28 governorates. Most of these headquarters are originally palaces that were nationalized after the 1952 revolution and used as headquarters for the Socialist Union -- the only political organization in the 1960s and 1970s. When the NDP was established, these buildings were handed over to the NDP. The party's secretary general in Alexandria, Magdi Tayeh, told Al-Masry Al-Youm that the NDP will remain even if its buildings are confiscated. It would seek alternative solutions, such as renting places or asking its members to donate their apartments or villas. Tayeh said the NDP was willing to give its headquarters back to the state in return for allowing it a fresh start. Observers say the appointment on Monday of former opposition MP Talaat al-Sadat as president of the party may be another attempt at recasting the NDP in a new light. Several other politicians and activists reject the idea of the party remaining on the scene, even if it is deprived of all the means to dominate the political arena. They call for the dissolution of the party for the damage it has done to Egyptian political life, citing the dismantling of Tunisia's former ruling party. Mohsen Radi, a leader from the Muslim Brotherhood and a former MP, said the party represents a black mark in the history of Egypt. Abdel Rahman Fares, a political activist and member of the 25 January Revolution Youth Coalition, said the party should be dissolved after the fall of its president and the regime it created.
