CAIRO - AS if the public were in need of fresh evidence of a plot to thwart what the revolution has gained, the Committee of Political Parties Affairs has approved the founding of the Etihad (Unity) Party under the leadership of Hossam Badrawi, the former secretary-general of the dissolved National Democratic Party (NDP). Badrawi, who used to head the NDP's Education Committee, had been appointed by Mubarak as secretary-general in place of Safwat el-Sharif, in an attempt to burnish the image of the party and the regime during the revolution. In fact, Badrawi was always seen as one of the reformers and a voice of opposition in the corrupt party. But his agreeing to try and salvage Mubarak's regime at the eleventh hour has made him politically unacceptable today. Since the toppling of the regime, the public, especially the political activists, have been calling for the dissolution of the NDP, along with depriving its members of political and party activity for five years. The purpose of this is to enable the revolution to complete its work without being tripped up by members of a corrupt party that ruled the country for more than three decades. The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) has partly agreed to this demand, but regrettably the dissolution of the party hasn't been coupled with its members being prevented from engaging in political work for five years. The different political factions are opposed to the SCAF decision for parliamentary elections to be conducted partly according to the individual candidate system, because they are afraid that some former NDP members will be elected. Meanwhile, the endorsement of the new, above-mentioned party also means former NDP members could get elected, even if the SCAF amends the law so that the elections are conducted solely according to the slate system. If the Government is going to let these former politicians who pulled the country down continue to participate in political life, why did it dissolve the NDP in the first place?
