The Nasserist Party on Wednesday declined to coordinate with the Muslim Brotherhood (MB), Egypt’s largest opposition group, in parliamentary elections slated for later this year. Nevertheless, party leaders said they would continue holding meetings with the Islaimist group on other issues.
“While we agree with all opposition forces on the need to abolish the state of emergency and to introduce certain constitutional reforms, we cannot allow the MB to run in elections under our umbrella,” said party vice president Mohamed Abul Ela.
Abul Ela also said that, although his party was currently in a coalition with the Tagammu, Wafd and Democratic Front opposition parties, it still enjoyed the right to act on its own. “We can keep talking to the MB even if other members of the coalition decide to boycott it,” he explained.
“We would be thankful if the MB supported our candidate in the elections,” Abul Ela added. “But this doesn’t mean we must support theirs in return.”
He went on to point out that his party would only nominate one candidate since it lacks adequate funds for multiple candidacies.
Translated from the Arabic Edition.
