Freedom and Justice Party (Egypt)

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Freedom and Justice Party
حزب الحرية و العدالة
Chairman Saad El-Katatni[1]
Secretary-General Hussein Ibrahim[2]
Slogan We hold good for Egypt
(Arabic: نحمل الخير لمصر‎)
Founded 21 February 2011 (MB)
6 June 2011 (Official)[3]
Headquarters 20 King El-Salem Hameed Street Rhoda Island, Cairo
Newspaper Freedom and Justice
Ideology Islamism[4][5]
Economic liberalism[6]
International affiliation Muslim Brotherhood
Colors Blue, orange, and green
House of Representatives
217 / 498
Shura Council
105 / 270
Constituent Assembly
16 / 100
Website
http://www.hurryh.com/ (Arabic site)
http://www.fjponline.com/ (English site)

Politics of Egypt
Political parties
Elections

The Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) (Arabic: حزب الحرية والعدالة‎, Ḥizb Al-Ḥurriya Wal-’Adala) is an Islamist[4][5] political party and the most popular party in Egypt. The president of the party, Mohamed Morsi, won the 2012 presidential election,[7] and in the 2011 parliamentary election it won more seats than any other party. It is nominally independent, but has strong links to the Muslim Brotherhood of Egypt, the largest and best-organized political group in Egypt.[8]

The 2011–2012 Egyptian Parliamentary election resulted in the FJP winning 47.2 per cent of all seats in the country's lower house of parliament, with fellow Islamist parties al Nour and al Wasat winning 24.7 and 2 per cent, respectively.[9][10][11] Both the FJP and the Salafist Al Nour Party have since denied alleged intentions of political unification.[12][13]

The FJP originally stated that it would not field a candidate for the 2012 Egyptian presidential election,[14][15] but ran Morsi after Khairat al-Shater was disqualified.[16]

Contents

History [edit]

The Muslim Brotherhood announced on 21 February 2011, in the aftermath of the 2011 Egyptian revolution, that it intended to found the Freedom and Justice Party, to be led by Saad El-Katatny.[17][18][19]

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. It gained official status on 6 June 2011.[20] The Muslim Brotherhood’s legislative body appointed Mohamed Morsy as president of the Freedom and Justice Party, Essam el-Erian as vice president, and Saad El-Katatny as secretary general.[21][22] The three are former members of the Muslim Brotherhood "Guidance Office", or Maktab al-Irshad, the highest-level body of the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood.[8]

The party was expected to win "the vast majority" of the seats that it contested in the 2011 parliamentary election – i.e., just under half of the seats in parliament – as "no other party" had "anything close to the network of committed supporters" that it had. In addition, the MB worked with independent candidates promising them support.[8]

By late 2012, the Freedom and Justice Party was no longer part of the Democratic Alliance coalition.[23] And as of early 2013, Egypt is said to have become "increasingly divided between two camps": that of President Morsi and "Islamist allies", and opposing them "moderate Muslims, Christians and liberals".[24]

Political platform [edit]

On launching the new party, the Muslim Brotherhood confirmed that it did not object to women or Copts serving in a ministerial post (cabinet),[25] though it deems both "unsuitable" for the presidency.[26] The group supports free-market capitalism, but without "manipulation or monopoly". The party’s political program would include tourism as a main source of national income.[27]

The Freedom and Justice Party is based on Islamic law, "but will be acceptable to a wide segment of the population," said leading MB member Essam al Arian.[28] The party’s membership is open to all Egyptians who accept the terms of its program.[29] 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)."[30] There is rivalry between the Freedom and Justice Party and the Salafis, who regard the Freedom and Justice Party as having 'watered down' its values.[31]

In an interview with Al-Alam TV that aired on 22 August 2012, Ahmad Sabi', the Freedom and Justice Party's media advisor stated (as translated by MEMRI) that the 1979 Camp David Accords between Egypt and Israel were "a mark of shame upon the Egyptian people" and was "undermining Egypt's sovereignty" and "projects for the development of the Sinai." Sabi' also stated that the Accord "is an unjust and unfair agreement, which has isolated Egypt from its Arab and Islamic environments, and from the pan-Arab effort to liberate the land of Palestine and to support Palestinian resistance."[32][33]

In the same interview, Sabi' stated:

“ In addition, carcinogenic pesticides were imported from the Zionist entity, and Egyptian agriculture was made available to the Zionist entity. This led to the destruction of various sectors in Egypt. Egypt now suffers from endemic diseases, such as various types of cancer, hepatitis and kidney infections. All these and other diseases are the result of the carcinogenic pesticides, which were brought here along with that agreement.[32] ”

Leaders [edit]

List of leaders of the Freedom and Justice Party.

Number Person Image In office
1. Mohamed Morsi 30 April 2011 – 24 June 2012
– vacant 24 June 2012 – 19 October 2012
2. Saad El-Katatni 19 October 2012 – present

See also [edit]

References [edit]

  1. ^ "Egypt's El-Katatni becomes new head of Muslim Brotherhood's FJP". Ahram Online. 19 October 2012. Retrieved 19 October 2012. 
  2. ^ "Brotherhood's Freedom & Justice Party elects new secretary-general". Ahram Online. 10 January 2013. Retrieved 10 January 2013. 
  3. ^ من نحن, Freedom and Justice Party
  4. ^ a b "Egypt’s Islamists announce own political party", Dawn, 30 April 2011, retrieved 28 June 2011 
  5. ^ a b "Egypt Islamists form ‘non-theocratic’ party", The Peninsula, 1 May 2011, retrieved 28 June 2011 
  6. ^ Asher-Schapiro, Avi (26 January 2012), "The GOP Brotherhood of Egypt", Salon, retrieved 15 February 2012 
  7. ^ "Celebration in Egypt as Morsi declared winner". 24 Jun 2012. aljazeera.com. Retrieved 9 April 2013. 
  8. ^ a b c Foreign Affairs magazine, September October 2011, "The Unbreakable Muslim Brotherhood", by Eric Trager, pp. 114–222 (full text not available for free on internet)
  9. ^ Ahram, Electoral Results, Retrieved 3 February 2012
  10. ^ "Egypt's MB wins most parliamentary seats". PressTV. 21 January 2012. Retrieved 8 December 2012. 
  11. ^ "الأخبار – هيمنة الإسلاميين على برلمان مصر عربي". Al Jazeera. 21 January 2012. Retrieved 8 December 2012. 
  12. ^ ”Head of Salafist Al-Nour Party Rules Out Alliance with Muslim Brotherhood", Retrieved 3 February 2012
  13. ^ ,IKWHANWEB The Muslim Brotherhood’s Official English web site, ”FJP: No Alliance With Salafist Al Noor Party”, Retrieved 3 February 2012
  14. ^ "Muslim Brotherhood's political party will not run for presidency". Ahram Online. 26 July 2011. Retrieved 1 March 2013. 
  15. ^ "Brotherhood will not run for Egypt presidency". Middle East Online. 27 January 2012. Retrieved 1 March 2013. 
  16. ^ "Egypt Brotherhood candidate: army wants to retain power". Al Akhbar. 18 April 2012. 
  17. ^ Muslim Brotherhood to establish 'Freedom and Justice Party'|Al-Masry Al-Youm[dead link]
  18. ^ "The Muslim Brotherhood Official English Website". Ikhwan Web. 23 February 2011. Retrieved 20 December 2011. 
  19. ^ Cox, Earl (23 February 2011). "Muslim Brotherhood sits at Egypt’s new democratic table". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 20 December 2011. 
  20. ^ Shehata, Said (25 November 2011). "Profiles of Egypt's political parties". BBC. Retrieved 1 March 2013. 
  21. ^ "Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood selects hawkish leaders". Al Masry Al Youm. 30 April 2011. Retrieved 20 December 2011. 
  22. ^ "Egypt: Muslim Brotherhood sets up new party". BBC. 30 April 2011. Retrieved 20 December 2011. 
  23. ^ Enein, Ahmed Aboul. "All broken up: new coalitions form as old electoral alliances die out". Daily News Egypt. Retrieved 1 October 2012. 
  24. ^ "Coptic pope’s criticism of president marks trend in Egypt, where no one is above the fray". Associated Press. 9 April 2013. Retrieved 9 April 2013. 
  25. ^ MB announces establishment of political party: Freedom and Justice. IkhwanWeb. 21 February 2011.
  26. ^ Brotherhood sticks to ban on Christians and women for presidency|14 March 2011
  27. ^ Al-Arian: Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party to be based on Islamic Law. Al-Masry Al-Youm. 23 February 2011.
  28. ^ "Al-Arian: Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party to be based on Islamic Law". Al Masry Al Youm. 23 February 2011. Retrieved 20 December 2011. 
  29. ^ MB form 'Freedom and Justice' political party. Ahram. 22 February 2011.
  30. ^ Muslim Brothers see corruption-free Egypt flourishing. Al Arabiya. 23 February 2011.
  31. ^ "Opinion". Gulf Times. 5 December 2011. Retrieved 20 December 2011. 
  32. ^ a b Egyptian MB Media Advisor Ahmad Sabi': Camp David Accords Brought Cancer, Hepatitis, and Kidney Infections to Egypt, MEMRI, Clip No. 3556, 22 August 2012.
  33. ^ Treaty with Israel has brought hepatitis, cancer to Egypt, must be changed, says adviser to Morsi’s party by Greg Tepper, Times of Israel, 30 August 2012.

External links [edit]
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