The People’s Assembly saw a row erupt yesterday as Speaker Fathi Sorour read out a letter sent by Mounir Fakhri Abdel Nour, secretary general of the Wafd Party, which announced the freezing of Wafd representative Mohamed Abdel Aleem Dawoud’s membership in the party.
According to the letter, Dawoud’s membership in the party’s various bodies, including its parliamentary authority, was suspended due to “repeated violations of the party’s by-laws and policies.”
Commenting on the letter, an angry Dawoud said, “I’m honored to be expelled at the hands of Abaza, who is receiving money from the US, Israel and the EU,” a reference to Wafd Party chief Mahmoud Abaza. Sorour interrupted Dawoud, saying that the People’s Assembly should not be a forum for “party disputes.” As Dawoud continued with his attack on Abaza, the majority MPs agreed to have him taken out of the room.
In statements to Al-Masry Al-Youm, Dawoud said he doesn’t recognize the decision to suspend his party membership, which he argues was made without investigations. He said he will seek a reversal of the decision in court.
Meanwhile, Abaza has claimed the party didn’t expel Dawoud but only “froze” his membership until he is questioned. He explained that according to the party’s by-laws a person’s membership in the parliamanetary authority is automatically suspended when their party membership is frozen pending investigations.
Translated from the Arabic Edition.
