Egypt

Nour Party: Referendum results ‘normal’

Shaaban Abdel Alim, Nour party's assistant secretary general, said that preliminary results of the referendum on the new constitution were normal because the Egyptian people know that ratifying the constitution is the first step towards stability.
 
He added that many voters also wanted to show support for Defense Minister Abdel Fattah al-Sisi by casting their ballots. 
 
Abdel Alim told the London-based Asharq al-Awsat newspaper in an interview published Friday that Nour's popularity has transcended its Salafi Da'wa base.
 
"Nour supported the road map after it realized the plot to divide the state and ignite sectarian strife," he said. "There are some who wanted to see confrontation between the military and the Islamic movement similar to what happened in Afghanistan and Somalia." 
 
Abdel Alim called on the Muslim Brotherhood to revise its position and learn from its mistakes in order to preserve what remains of its popularity. 
 
"Nour is waiting for each presidential hopeful's campaign goals to determine which candidate it will back," he said. "It is difficult to take a certain position because even Sisi has not announced his presidential bid."
 
He expected the approval of the new constitution to deter street violence, but not to totally eliminate it. 
 
Abdel Alim also said that the current government has to look for new solutions to deal with the political crisis rather than relying on the security route alone.
 
Meanwhile, Abdel Alim added that he does not expect the Nour Party to be dissolved.
 
 
 
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm

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