Coptic billionaire Naguib Sawiris, founder of the nascent Free Egyptians Party, said the party does not seek to counter the Muslim Brotherhood's new Freedom and Justice Party.
Meeting members from the Egyptian community in London on Sunday, Sawiris said the party would not have a religious basis and instead would represent Egyptians from across the social spectrum.
He added that he does not want any restrictions on the nomination of Egyptians in the upcoming elections.
Sawiris pointed out there is little time to prepare for the parliamentary poll, which is slated for September. He pledged to work hard to clarify the policies of the proposed Free Egyptians Party before elections.
The telecommunications tycoon said his party currently has 35,000 members, of which 70 percent are Muslim.
Sawiris added that Egyptian-American scientist Farouk El-Baz and film director Khaled Youssef are among the members.
"The party seeks to represent all Egyptians, not on the basis of religion," he said, adding that he would favor a Turkish model for Egypt rather than an Iranian one.
Answering a question about the Constitution, he said, "The Constitution should be fair and contemporary. It should emphasize the civil nature of the state."
Translated from the Arabic Edition
