Egyptian Bloc
Encyclopedia
The Egyptian Bloc is an electoral alliance in Egypt. It has been formed by several liberal
, social democratic, and leftist political parties and movements, as well as the traditional Islamist Sufi Liberation Party to prevent the Muslim Brotherhood
, and its affiliated Freedom and Justice Party
from winning the parliamentary elections in November 2011
.
could be changed to an Islamic one.
The establishment of the coalition was publicly announced on 15 August 2011 in Cairo. The assembly's objective is to present a united list of candidates for the parliamentary election, to raise funds and to campaign together. The alliance supports Prime Minister Essam Sharaf
's proposal of a "constitutional decree" that could prevent the Islamists from unilaterally amending the constitution or drafting a new one, even in case of winning a parliamentary majority. Analysts see the formation as a "final attempt" of the liberal and secularist camp to cope with the Muslim Brotherhood's advance in Egypt's post-revolutionary
political landscape, in respect of organisational structure, profile and publicity.
have also joined the alliance, even though the party had announced to contest the elections together with the Freedom and Justice Party.
In late October 2011, the Socialist Popular Alliance Party broke away from the Egyptian Bloc, claiming that the bloc contained remnants of the old regime, and formed the Revolution Continues Alliance
. The Egyptian Socialist Party followed this example.
By early November, only the Free Egyptians Party, the Egyptian Social Democratic Party
, and Tagammu
remained components of the alliance.
former member organisations (August 2011)
Social and labour organisations
Liberalism
Liberalism is the belief in the importance of liberty and equal rights. Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but generally, liberals support ideas such as constitutionalism, liberal democracy, free and fair elections, human rights,...
, social democratic, and leftist political parties and movements, as well as the traditional Islamist Sufi Liberation Party to prevent the Muslim Brotherhood
Muslim 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...
, and its affiliated Freedom and Justice Party
Freedom and Justice Party (Egypt)
The Freedom and Justice Party , 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...
from winning the parliamentary elections in November 2011
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...
.
Establishment
The 15 groups share the common vision of Egypt as a "civil democratic state" and fear that in case of an Islamist electoral victory the constitution2011 Provisional Constitution
The Provisional Constitution of the Arab Republic of Egypt or Constitutional Declaration of 2011 is the new provisional fundamental law of Egypt...
could be changed to an Islamic one.
The establishment of the coalition was publicly announced on 15 August 2011 in Cairo. The assembly's objective is to present a united list of candidates for the parliamentary election, to raise funds and to campaign together. The alliance supports Prime Minister Essam Sharaf
Essam Sharaf
Essam Abdel-Aziz Sharaf is an Egyptian academic who has been Prime Minister of Egypt since 3 March 2011. He served as Minister of Transportation from 2004 to 2005.-Early life and education:...
's proposal of a "constitutional decree" that could prevent the Islamists from unilaterally amending the constitution or drafting a new one, even in case of winning a parliamentary majority. Analysts see the formation as a "final attempt" of the liberal and secularist camp to cope with the Muslim Brotherhood's advance in Egypt's post-revolutionary
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...
political landscape, in respect of organisational structure, profile and publicity.
Programme
The programmatic ambitions of the alliance are to establish Egypt as a modern civil state in which science plays an important role, and to create equality and social justice in the country. The objectives of the Bloc also include to make a decent life possible for the poorer population, including education, health care and proper housing. It advocates a pluralistic, multiparty democracy and rejects religious, racial, and sexual discrimination.Development
Several leading members of the long-standing national-liberal New Wafd PartyNew Wafd Party
The New Wafd Party is a nationalist liberal party in Egypt.It is the extension of one of the oldest and historically most active political parties in Egypt, Wafd Party, which was dismantled after the 1952 Revolution. The New Wafd was re-established in 1983...
have also joined the alliance, even though the party had announced to contest the elections together with the Freedom and Justice Party.
In late October 2011, the Socialist Popular Alliance Party broke away from the Egyptian Bloc, claiming that the bloc contained remnants of the old regime, and formed the Revolution Continues Alliance
The Revolution Continues Alliance
The Revolution Continues Alliance , abbreviated to RCA, is a left-leaning, mostly secular electoral alliance in Egypt. It has been formed by two socialist, two liberal, and an Islamic party...
. The Egyptian Socialist Party followed this example.
By early November, only the Free Egyptians Party, the Egyptian Social Democratic Party
Egyptian Social Democratic Party
The Egyptian Social Democratic Party is a left liberal party in Egypt which was founded after the 2011 Egyptian Revolution by the merger of two minor liberal parties, the Egyptian Democratic Party, and the Liberal Egyptian Party on 29 March 2011...
, and Tagammu
National Progressive Unionist Party
The National Progressive Unionist Party is a socialist political party in Egypt. The party is considered to be the defender of the principles of the 1952 Revolution...
remained components of the alliance.
Member organisations
Parties and organisations which remain parts of the bloc:- Free Egyptians Party
- Egyptian Social Democratic PartyEgyptian Social Democratic PartyThe Egyptian Social Democratic Party is a left liberal party in Egypt which was founded after the 2011 Egyptian Revolution by the merger of two minor liberal parties, the Egyptian Democratic Party, and the Liberal Egyptian Party on 29 March 2011...
- National Progressive Unionist PartyNational Progressive Unionist PartyThe National Progressive Unionist Party is a socialist political party in Egypt. The party is considered to be the defender of the principles of the 1952 Revolution...
(Tagammu)
former member organisations (August 2011)
- Freedom Egypt PartyFreedom Egypt PartyThe Freedom Egypt Party is a political party in Egypt which was founded on 18 May 2011 by Amr Hamzawy and a group of Egyptian youth after the Egyptian Revolution of 2011.-External links:*...
- Egyptian Communist PartyEgyptian Communist PartyThe Egyptian Communist Party is a political party in Egypt, formed in 1975 by a number of members of the former Egyptian Communist Party. Under the regimes of Presidents Anwar Sadat and Hosni Mubarak the new Communist Party faced state repression and was barred from running in elections. The...
- Democratic Front Party
- The Awareness Party
- Sufi Liberation Party
- Socialist Popular Alliance Party (withdrawn in October)
- Socialist Party of EgyptSocialist Party of EgyptThe Egyptian Socialist Party is a new political party in Egypt which was founded by some Egyptian socialists after the 2011 Egyptian revolution.. The party was founded on June 18 at a conference attended by over 400 Egyptian & international socialists...
(withdrawn in October)
Social and labour organisations
- National Association for ChangeNational Association for ChangeNational Association for Change is a loose grouping of the various Egyptian of all political affiliations and religion, men and women, including representatives of civil society and young people aims to change Egypt. There was general agreement on the need to unite all the voices calling for...
- The National Council
- the Farmers' Syndicate
- the Popular Worker's Union