The Survivors of Nothingness — Part Two    EGAS, Eni, TotalEnergies sign Cronos field handling agreement    Oil prices drop on Tuesday    Asian stocks climb on Tuesday    SCZONE attracts $65m in new Chinese textile investments in Sokhna Industrial Zone    Egypt, Boeing discuss expanding aviation partnership, investment cooperation    Egypt, Eroğlu Group discuss textile investment, partnership opportunities    Egypt discusses troop deployment to Somalia with foreign minister    Israel accused of 80 ceasefire violations in Gaza since October 10    Egypt's PM reviews efforts to remove Nile River encroachments    Health Minister reviews readiness of Minya for rollout of universal health insurance    Egypt strengthens ties with NEPAD at Aswan Forum    Sisi invites Egyptians to join Gaza reconstruction drive, citing shared humanity    Egypt screens 13.3m under presidential cancer detection initiative since mid-2023    Egypt launches official website for Grand Egyptian Museum ahead of November opening    The Survivors of Nothingness — Episode (I)    EHA, Arab Hospitals Federation discuss cooperation on AI, sustainable healthcare    Al-Sisi: Cairo to host Gaza reconstruction conference in November    Egypt, WHO sign cooperation strategy to strengthen health system through 2028    Egypt's FM joins Sahel region roundtable at Aswan Forum    Egypt successfully hosts Egyptian Amateur Open golf championship with 19-nation turnout    Africa can lead global recovery, Egypt's Sisi tells Aswan Forum    Egypt: Guardian of Heritage, Waiting for the World's Conscience    Egypt, Qatar sign MoU to boost cooperation in healthcare, food safety    Egypt will never relinquish historical Nile water rights, PM says    Al Ismaelia launches award-winning 'TamaraHaus' in Downtown Cairo revival    Al-Sisi, Burhan discuss efforts to end Sudan war, address Nile Dam dispute in Cairo talks    Egypt's Sisi warns against unilateral Nile actions, calls for global water cooperation    Egypt unearths New Kingdom military fortress on Horus's Way in Sinai    Egyptian Open Amateur Golf Championship 2025 to see record participation    Syria releases preliminary results of first post-Assad parliament vote    Karnak's hidden origins: Study reveals Egypt's great temple rose from ancient Nile island    Egypt resolves dispute between top African sports bodies ahead of 2027 African Games    Egypt aims to reclaim global golf standing with new major tournaments: Omar Hisham    Germany among EU's priciest labour markets – official data    Paris Olympic gold '24 medals hit record value    It's a bit frustrating to draw at home: Real Madrid keeper after Villarreal game    Russia says it's in sync with US, China, Pakistan on Taliban    Shoukry reviews with Guterres Egypt's efforts to achieve SDGs, promote human rights    Sudan says countries must cooperate on vaccines    Johnson & Johnson: Second shot boosts antibodies and protection against COVID-19    Egypt to tax bloggers, YouTubers    Egypt's FM asserts importance of stability in Libya, holding elections as scheduled    We mustn't lose touch: Muller after Bayern win in Bundesliga    Egypt records 36 new deaths from Covid-19, highest since mid June    Egypt sells $3 bln US-dollar dominated eurobonds    Gamal Hanafy's ceramic exhibition at Gezira Arts Centre is a must go    Italian Institute Director Davide Scalmani presents activities of the Cairo Institute for ITALIANA.IT platform    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Egypt's Islamists divided over new party
Published in The Egyptian Gazette on 07 - 05 - 2011

CAIRO - The Muslim Brotherhood's Shura Council's selection of Mohamed Morsi as the head of their new Freedom and Justice Party, Essam el-Eryan as its deputy head and Saad el-Katatni as its Secretary-General, has been condemned by a number of Brotherhood members.
Mohamed Habib, the Brotherhood's former Deputy Supreme Guide, says that this selection means that the group's leadership is imposing their full control on the new party.
"We were hoping the party would be independent, approved by the majority. A new party is a new experience and we need to carefully gauge public opinion," adds Habib, who criticises the decision taken by the Brotherhood's Shura Council to contest 50 per cent of the seats in the forthcoming parliamentary elections.
According to Amar Ali Hassan, an expert on Islamic movements, the Muslim Brotherhood “are lacking a clear vision”.
“The group also have foreign investments and perhaps they could be suspected of receiving funds from foreign organisations,” he adds.
“They are also suspected of training militias, as many their younger members, who are divided over the relationship between the group and the new party, have certainly engaged in military-style shows of physical strength in the past.”
Shorouq el-Shawaf, one of the young Brotherhood members, says that she is satisfied with the leaders proposed for the new party, while Gamal Hishmat, a member of the Brotherhood's Shura Council, stresses that the new party's leaders will only serve for a transitional period of four years.
Hishmat denies that there is a 'relationship' between the Supreme General and the new party, adding that there will only be co-ordination on major issues, such as presidential elections and their stance on international accords.
He also calls on the public to stop complaining about the new party, so it can get down to some serious work, as Egypt enters a new phase of political life.
In the coastal city of Alexandria, following their declaration about forming a new party, the Brotherhood announced that they would contest 50 per cent of the seats in the next parliamentary elections.
Many politicians are worried about this, because the Brotherhood originally said they'd only contest 30 per cent of the seats.
Before Hosni Mubarak stepped down, the Brotherhood said they were only interested in social and religious activities.
Al-Sayyed Bassiouni, a prominent political activist in Alexandria, told Al-Ahram semi-official newspaper that the Brotherhood, in announcing they intend to run for 50 per cent of the seats, have indicated that they want a religious state.
“They are also opposed to the revolutionary idea that young people should participate more in political life,” he added.
Prominent Brotherhood leader Nageh Ibrahim says that the group have made a great mistake in announcing they will contest 50 per cent of the seats, rather like what the dissolved National Democratic Party did in the last parliamentary elections.


Clic here to read the story from its source.