Al-Wasat Party
Encyclopedia
Hizb al-Wasat al-Jadid translated in English
as the New Center Party but more commonly known as al-Wasat Party, is a moderate Islam
ic political party in Egypt
.
, whom Madi accused of having "narrow political horizons." The creation of al-Wasat was criticized by the Brotherhood, which said Madi was trying to split the movement. It was also not well received by the Egyptian government, which brought its founders before a military court
on the charge of setting up a party as an Islamist front. Al-Wasat tried to gain an official license four times between 1996 and 2009, but its application was rejected each time by the political parties committee, which was chaired by a leading member of the ruling National Democratic Party
. Political parties formed on the basis of religion have been banned by the Egyptian constitution
since an amendment to Article 5 was approved in 2007
.
approved its establishment. The court's ruling was handed down in the wake of the Egyptian Revolution of 2011, and made al-Wasat the first new party to gain official status after the resignation of President
Hosni Mubarak
. Its newly acquired official status allows al-Wasat to compete in the next parliamentary election
, and makes it the first legal party in Egypt with an Islamic background.
with liberal tendencies
. Its founder Madi highlights as proof of this openness the fact that two Copts and three women are among the party's 24 top members. According to the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
, al-Wasat "seeks to interpret Islamic sharia
principles in a manner consistent with the values of a liberal democratic system. Although al-Wasat advocates a political system that is firmly anchored in Islamic law, it also views sharia principles as flexible and wholly compatible with the principles of pluralism and equal citizenship rights." The party's manifesto accepts the right of a Christian to become head of state in a Muslim-majority country. Its founder Madi likens its ideology to that of the Turkish Justice and Development Party
(AKP).
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
as the New Center Party but more commonly known as al-Wasat Party, is a moderate Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
ic political party in Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
.
Foundation
It was founded by in 1996 as a splinter group of the Muslim BrotherhoodMuslim Brotherhood
The Society of the Muslim Brothers is the world's oldest and one of the largest Islamist parties, and is the largest political opposition organization in many Arab states. It was founded in 1928 in Egypt by the Islamic scholar and schoolteacher Hassan al-Banna and by the late 1940s had an...
, whom Madi accused of having "narrow political horizons." The creation of al-Wasat was criticized by the Brotherhood, which said Madi was trying to split the movement. It was also not well received by the Egyptian government, which brought its founders before a military court
Military tribunal
A military tribunal is a kind of military court designed to try members of enemy forces during wartime, operating outside the scope of conventional criminal and civil proceedings. The judges are military officers and fulfill the role of jurors...
on the charge of setting up a party as an Islamist front. Al-Wasat tried to gain an official license four times between 1996 and 2009, but its application was rejected each time by the political parties committee, which was chaired by a leading member of the ruling National Democratic Party
National Democratic Party (Egypt)
The National Democratic Party , often simply called Al-Ḥizb al-Waṭaniy – the "National Party", was an Egyptian political party. It was founded by President Anwar El Sadat in 1978....
. Political parties formed on the basis of religion have been banned by the Egyptian constitution
Constitution of Egypt
The Constitution of the Arab Republic of Egypt was the fundamental law of Egypt. It was adopted on September 11, 1971 through a public referendum. It was later amended in 1980, 2005 and 2007. It was proclaimed to update the democratic representative system in assertion of the rule of law,...
since an amendment to Article 5 was approved in 2007
Egyptian constitutional referendum, 2007
A constitutional referendum was held in Egypt on 26 March 2007 to confirm the constitutional changes, mostly concerning electoral law, that were passed by parliament on 20 March 2007...
.
Recognition
Al-Wasat was granted official recognition on 19 February 2011 after a court in CairoCairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
approved its establishment. The court's ruling was handed down in the wake of the Egyptian Revolution of 2011, and made al-Wasat the first new party to gain official status after the resignation of President
President of Egypt
The President of the Arab Republic of Egypt is the head of state of Egypt.Under the Constitution of Egypt, the president is also the supreme commander of the armed forces and head of the executive branch of the Egyptian government....
Hosni Mubarak
Hosni Mubarak
Muhammad Hosni Sayyid Mubarak is a former Egyptian politician and military commander. He served as the fourth President of Egypt from 1981 to 2011....
. Its newly acquired official status allows al-Wasat to compete in the next parliamentary election
Egyptian parliamentary election, 2011
An early parliamentary election is currently being held in Egypt from November 2011 onwards, following the revolution which ousted President Hosni Mubarak, after which the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces dissolved the parliament of Egypt...
, and makes it the first legal party in Egypt with an Islamic background.
Ideology
The party asserts that its aim is to promote a tolerant version of IslamIslam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
with liberal tendencies
Liberal movements within Islam
Progressive Muslims have produced a considerable body of liberal thought within Islam or "progressive Islam" ; but some consider progressive Islam and liberal Islam as two distinct movements)...
. Its founder Madi highlights as proof of this openness the fact that two Copts and three women are among the party's 24 top members. According to the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace is a foreign-policy think tank based in Washington, D.C. The organization describes itself as being dedicated to advancing cooperation between nations and promoting active international engagement by the United States...
, al-Wasat "seeks to interpret Islamic sharia
Sharia
Sharia law, is the moral code and religious law of Islam. Sharia is derived from two primary sources of Islamic law: the precepts set forth in the Quran, and the example set by the Islamic prophet Muhammad in the Sunnah. Fiqh jurisprudence interprets and extends the application of sharia to...
principles in a manner consistent with the values of a liberal democratic system. Although al-Wasat advocates a political system that is firmly anchored in Islamic law, it also views sharia principles as flexible and wholly compatible with the principles of pluralism and equal citizenship rights." The party's manifesto accepts the right of a Christian to become head of state in a Muslim-majority country. Its founder Madi likens its ideology to that of the Turkish Justice and Development Party
Justice and Development Party (Turkey)
The Justice and Development Party , abbreviated JDP in English and AK PARTİ or AKP in Turkish, is a centre-right political party in Turkey. The party is the largest in Turkey, with 327 members of parliament...
(AKP).