Freedom and Justice Party (Egypt)
Encyclopedia
The Freedom and Justice Party ( , Ḥizb al-ḥurriya wa al-’adala), is an Islamist
political party
in Egypt
. The party is nominally independent but has strong links to the Muslim Brotherhood of Egypt
, the largest and best organized political group in Egypt. It has stated that it plans to run candidate in just under half of all constituencies in the upcoming parliamentary election.
announced on 21 February 2011, in the aftermath of the 2011 Egyptian revolution
, that it intended to found the Freedom and Justice Party, set to be led by Dr. Saad Ketatni.
The party was officially founded on 30 April 2011, and it was announced that it would contest up to half the seats in the upcoming parliamentary election
. The Muslim Brotherhood’s legislative body appointed Mohamed Morsy as president of the Freedom and Justice Party, Essam al-Erian as vice president and Saad al-Katatny as secretary general. The three are former members of the Muslim Brotherhood "Guidance Office" or Maktab al-Irshad, the highest level body of the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood.
The party is expected to win "the vast majority" of the seats that it contests in the 2011 parliamentary election -- i.e. just under half of the seats in parliament -- as "no other party" has "anything close to the network of committed supporters" that it has. In addition the MB is working with independent candidates promising them support.
, but without "manipulation or monopoly". The party’s political program would include tourism as a main source of national income. The Freedom and Justice Party will be based on Islamic law
, "but will be acceptable to a wide segment of the population," said leading MB member Essam al-Arian. The party’s membership will be open to all Egyptians who accept the terms of its program. The spokesperson for the party said that "when we talk about the slogans of the revolution – freedom, social justice, equality – all of these are in the Sharia
(Islamic law)." Although Islamist-dominated, the Freedom and Justice Party rejects Salafism.
Islamism
Islamism also , lit., "Political Islam" is set of ideologies holding that Islam is not only a religion but also a political system. Islamism is a controversial term, and definitions of it sometimes vary...
political party
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
in Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
. The party is nominally independent but has strong links to the Muslim Brotherhood of Egypt
Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt
The Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt is an Islamist religious, political, and social movement. Following the 2011 Revolution the group was legalized, and with an estimated 600,000 members or supporters it's considered the largest, best-organized political force in Egypt...
, the largest and best organized political group in Egypt. It has stated that it plans to run candidate in just under half of all constituencies in the upcoming parliamentary election.
History
The Muslim BrotherhoodMuslim Brotherhood
The Society of the Muslim Brothers is the world's oldest and one of the largest Islamist parties, and is the largest political opposition organization in many Arab states. It was founded in 1928 in Egypt by the Islamic scholar and schoolteacher Hassan al-Banna and by the late 1940s had an...
announced on 21 February 2011, in the aftermath of the 2011 Egyptian revolution
2011 Egyptian revolution
The 2011 Egyptian revolution took place following a popular uprising that began on Tuesday, 25 January 2011 and is still continuing as of November 2011. The uprising was mainly a campaign of non-violent civil resistance, which featured a series of demonstrations, marches, acts of civil...
, that it intended to found the Freedom and Justice Party, set to be led by Dr. Saad Ketatni.
The party was officially founded on 30 April 2011, and it was announced that it would contest up to half the seats in the upcoming parliamentary election
Egyptian parliamentary election, 2011
An early parliamentary election is currently being held in Egypt from November 2011 onwards, following the revolution which ousted President Hosni Mubarak, after which the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces dissolved the parliament of Egypt...
. The Muslim Brotherhood’s legislative body appointed Mohamed Morsy as president of the Freedom and Justice Party, Essam al-Erian as vice president and Saad al-Katatny as secretary general. The three are former members of the Muslim Brotherhood "Guidance Office" or Maktab al-Irshad, the highest level body of the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood.
The party is expected to win "the vast majority" of the seats that it contests in the 2011 parliamentary election -- i.e. just under half of the seats in parliament -- as "no other party" has "anything close to the network of committed supporters" that it has. In addition the MB is working with independent candidates promising them support.
Political platform
On launching the new party, the Muslim Brotherhood confirmed that it does not object to women or Copts in a ministerial post (cabinet), although it deems both "unsuitable" for the presidency. The group supports free-market capitalismCapitalism
Capitalism is an economic system that became dominant in the Western world following the demise of feudalism. There is no consensus on the precise definition nor on how the term should be used as a historical category...
, but without "manipulation or monopoly". The party’s political program would include tourism as a main source of national income. The Freedom and Justice Party will be based on Islamic law
Sharia
Sharia law, is the moral code and religious law of Islam. Sharia is derived from two primary sources of Islamic law: the precepts set forth in the Quran, and the example set by the Islamic prophet Muhammad in the Sunnah. Fiqh jurisprudence interprets and extends the application of sharia to...
, "but will be acceptable to a wide segment of the population," said leading MB member Essam al-Arian. The party’s membership will be open to all Egyptians who accept the terms of its program. The spokesperson for the party said that "when we talk about the slogans of the revolution – freedom, social justice, equality – all of these are in the Sharia
Sharia
Sharia law, is the moral code and religious law of Islam. Sharia is derived from two primary sources of Islamic law: the precepts set forth in the Quran, and the example set by the Islamic prophet Muhammad in the Sunnah. Fiqh jurisprudence interprets and extends the application of sharia to...
(Islamic law)." Although Islamist-dominated, the Freedom and Justice Party rejects Salafism.
See also
- List of political parties in Egypt
- The Muslim BrotherhoodMuslim BrotherhoodThe Society of the Muslim Brothers is the world's oldest and one of the largest Islamist parties, and is the largest political opposition organization in many Arab states. It was founded in 1928 in Egypt by the Islamic scholar and schoolteacher Hassan al-Banna and by the late 1940s had an...
External links
- Ikhwan Online (Arabic)
- Ikhwan Web (English)