(AFP File Photo)
By Federica Ibrahim
The Islamist Al-Nour Party has said it may form a coalition with civil parties for the upcoming parliamentary elections, with a final decision on partners yet to be made.
Speaking in an interview with Al-Hayah Channel on Sunday, Al-Nour’s Assistant Head Ashraf Thabet said: “There are a number of civil parties close to our orientations with whom we can form a coalition.”
He said the party is still monitoring potential directions to determine its electoral position, and that any coalition depends on conditions they have yet to finalise.
‘’The political dispute after 30 June [and Morsi’s ouster] between us and the Muslim Brotherhood makes our participation with them in the parliamentary elections impossible,’’ Thabet said.
He added during the interview that Al-Nour had not been in touch with Amr Moussa and his electoral alliance regarding the upcoming elections.
He said that it is essential in any coalition to put aside partisan and personal interests, instead focusing on the common good.
Thabet stressed that his party rejects the collective punishment of formers members of the now dissolved National Democratic Party or any other political faction. Anyone proven guilty of criminal or violent behaviour should be punished by the judiciary, he said.
Political coalitions for the 2014 presidential elections are currently regrouping in preparation for the upcoming parliamentary elections.
Tayar Al-Estiqlal (Independent Current) was the first parliamentary coalition to support the President-elect Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi. The coalition is composed of 40 newly established parties, including several Nasserist parties and former elements from the military. It announced that it will compete on 420 parliamentary seats.
Another coalition is The Egyptian Wafd, comprising several liberal parties including the Egyptian Social Democratic Party, and public figures such as Amr Al-Shobaky and Hany Sarey Al-Din.
Meanwhile the Free Egyptians Party (FEP) stated that the party will likely run independently without taking part in any political coalitions.
