Reform and Development Party (Egypt)

The Reform and Development Party (Arabic: حزب الأصلاح و التنمية Hizb Al-Islah wa Al-Tanmiyah) is a liberal political party in Egypt.

Reform and Development Party
حزب الأصلاح و التنمية
ChairmanMohamed Anwar Esmat Sadat
FounderMohamed Anwar Esmat Sadat
Founded2009 (2009)
HeadquartersCairo
IdeologyLiberalism
Political positionCentre
National affiliationCivil Democratic Movement[1]
ColorsGold
House of Representatives
9 / 568
Website
http://www.rdpegypt.org/

History and profile

The Reform and Development Party was founded in 2009.[2] The founders of the party are Mohamed Anwar Esmat Sadat, the ex-president Anwar Sadat's nephew, and the Egyptian billionaire Raymond Lakah.[3] The initial license application of the party was rejected in July 2010.[2] It was legalized in May 2011, just after the Egypt's 25 January Revolution in 2011.[2]

The party participated in the 2011–12 Egyptian parliamentary election and won 9 seats in the lower house.[4] The party merged with the Misruna party (Our Egypt party) in June 2011; the party name changed slightly.[3]

Although the Reform and Development Party participated in the 2015 parliamentary elections, Sadat criticized the election process, which was delayed for 7 months, as well as the Supreme Constitutional Court being allowed to rule on complaints against election laws.[5]

The party has gradually distanced itself from president Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, and Sadat briefly ran in the 2018 Egyptian presidential election, though he withdrew.[6] Sadat criticized the pro-Sisi "Alashan Tbneeha" (To Build It) campaign on constitutional grounds for allowing government employees to publicly support the campaign. Supporters of his own campaign, "Benhab al-Sadat" (We Love al-Sadat), have been harassed by the government.[7]

References
  1. "Eight liberal and leftist Egyptian parties to boycott 2018 presidential elections". Ahram Online. 30 January 2018. Archived from the original on 10 February 2018. Retrieved 30 January 2018.
  2. "Reform and Development Party". Jadaliyya. 26 December 2011. Archived from the original on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 5 October 2014.
  3. "Reform and Development". Egyptian Elections Watch. 28 December 2011. Archived from the original on 13 December 2013. Retrieved 16 December 2013.
  4. "Masrawy". Archived from the original on 2012-01-23.
  5. "Egypt's opposition forces will not boycott upcoming parliamentary polls". Ahram Online. 10 August 2015. Archived from the original on 12 August 2015. Retrieved 13 August 2015.
  6. "Sadat nephew and Sisi critic drops Egyptian presidential bid". The Guardian. 15 January 2018. Archived from the original on 15 January 2018. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
  7. "Sadat criticizes "Alashan Tbneeha" petition for constitutional concerns". Egypt Independent. 24 October 2017. Archived from the original on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 24 November 2017.


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