“Egypt is Arab by affiliation, Islamist by culture and civil by inclination,” reads the founding statement of the Riyada (Pioneer) Party, formed by a group of former Muslim Brotherhood leaders who have chosen to split away from the incumbent movement.
The statement goes on to say that the 25 January revolution seeks to achieve a Egyptian renaissance, regaining the country's role as a leader in the Arab, African and Islamic worlds, as well as on the international stage. It noted that this will only be achieved through effective participation from different segments of society, with all of their competing visions.
The party calls on all political forces to cooperate and contribute to making Egypt a leading force in the world. It seeks to regenerate the economy so as to improve social justice, solve unemployment, support domestic and international investment in Egypt, promote education and scientific research, encourage a more rational media, and helping young people to get married, thereby preserving the family as the main unit of society.
Haytham Abou-Khalil, one of the founding members of Riyada, said that the party decided not to include any former members of the dissolved National Democratic Party (NDP).
Riyada has set up three offices in former NDP buildings in Cairo, Alexandria and Beheira, Abou-Khalil told Al-Masry Al-Youm.
He added that the party's board recently discussed media coverage, and appointed him, along with Kamal Samir, as media spokespersons of the party.
Abou-Khalil said Riyada will hold its opening celebration next week at its Cairo office.
He stressed that the party is civil and inspired by the Turkish political system, which focuses mainly on the interests of its citizens, problems of society and the preservation of citizens' freedom and dignity.
The founding body of the party will announce in coming weeks its planned projects in all provinces, including social services to improve education and the environment, Abou-Khalil added.
He said that the party includes many businessmen, lawmakers, university professors and former judges, most notably Yasser Hamza, a professor of constitutional law at Menoufia University, and Ahmed Rabey Ghazaly.
Translated from the Arabic Edition
