Atlantic Council
Who is Participating in Egypt's Parliamentary Elections?
*February 20, 2015
With the High Elections Commission (HEC) closing the door to candidate registration, over
5,000 Egyptians have applied to run in the upcoming parliamentary elections slated for
March 22. 3,514 applied to run as independent candidates, while 1,539 applied to run on a
party list. Of the 5,000 applicants, only 212 are women.
As the date nears, at least nine coalitions are gearing up to run in the elections. Parties
continue to change allegiances, moving from one coalition to another, choosing to run alone,
or even deciding to boycott the elections.
The following coalitions will be competing in the elections. To view how parties have
switched from one coalition to another.
EGYPTIAN FRONT COALITION (TAHALUF AL-GABHA AL-MASREYA)
The Egyptian Front Coalition was formed in August 2014, with the alliance announcing it
will operate under collective leadership. Several of the parties in the alliance have strong ties
to the Mubarak regime, including Ahmed Shafiq, Mubarak’s last Prime Minister, former
Interior Minister Ahmed Gamal al-Din, and Nabil Dibis, a businessman and former member
of the now-defunct National Democratic Party.
Members:
 Egyptian National Movement (Al Haraka al Wataneya al Masreya)
 Modern Egypt Party (Misr al-Haditha)
 Republican People’s Party (Hizb al Shab al Gomhory)
 My Homeland Egypt Party (Misr Balady)
 Egyptian Federation of Trade Unions (EFTU)
 General Syndicate of Farmers
 Professional Syndicates Union
 Geel (Generation) Party
The Tagammu, Ghad, and Conference parties withdrew from the Egyptian Front coalition in
December. The alliance was also coordinating with Kamal al-Ganzouri to place at least
twenty public figures on his list, before it collapsed. The Egyptian Front is currently in
negotiations with the Wafd Party and the For the Love of Egypt Alliance.
FOR THE LOVE OF EGYPT (FI HOB MISR)
For the Love of Egypt (FLE) is led by former army official Sameh Seif al-Yazal. Yazal
served both in the military and general intelligence services.
The formation of the FLE alliance was unexpected, and the group has been accused of acting
as a replacement for Ganzouri’s list. Among the parties that expressed reservations over the
FLE list were the Wafd Party and the Geel Party, which belongs to the Egyptian Front. The
Page 1 of 7
individual members of the alliance are said to have been selected by Yazal.
Conflicting reports emerged this week on whether or not the Conference Party, founded by
Amr Moussa, has joined the For the Love of Egypt list.
Members:
 Free Egyptians Party (Hizb al Misreyeen al Ahrar)
 Tagammu Party (National Progressive Unionist Party)
 Mostaqbal Misr (Egypt’s Future)
 Tamarod (Rebellion Movement)
 Al Gomhoreya al-Thaletha (Third Republic Movement)
 Federation of Egyptian Workers
The FLE alliance also has many prominent names running on its list, among them:
 FEP member Emad Gad
 Former Wafd Member of Parliament Margaret Azer
 Mona Mounir, a political female activist and former leading FEP member
 Osama Heikal, former minister of information and chairman of the Media Production
City
 Mahmoud Badr; founding member of the Tamarod movement,
 Tarek al-Khouli; former spokesperson for April 6 Youth Movement
 Mohamed Farag Amer; Alexandria's industrialist tycoon
 Zaki al-Swedey; Business tycoon
 Wagih Abaza; Automobile magnate
 Sahar Talaat Mostafa, sister of the Mubarak-era businessmen Hisham Talaat Mostafa.
 Lamis Gaber; Writer
 Taher Abu Zeid; Sports commentator
 Ahmed Saeed; Ahly Club vice-chief
INDEPENDENT CURRENT COALITION (TAYYAR AL ISTIQLAL)
The pro-Sisi coalition was formed by the Independence Current, a party formed in 2012 as an
opposition alliance to the then-ruling Mohamed Morsi. The coalition came together again in
June 2014. It was also backing Ganzouri’s list before its collapse.
The Independence Current is headed by Judge Ahmed Fadali. He was accused of playing a
role in the attack on anti-Mubarak protesters in 2011, when thugs descended on the square
riding camels and horses, in what has now become known as the Camel Battle.
Kamal al-Helbawy, a former member of the Muslim Brotherhood’s Guidance Bureau, is also
involved in the coalition. Helbawy left the group in 2011 in protest against its decision to
field a presidential candidate.
The Independence Current is reported to include a total of thirty-six parties and forty-two
coalitions. Its members will run on four lists, with another 300 running as independent
candidates.
Among its members are:
 Independence Current
 Democratic Peace Party (Al Salam al Dimuqrati)
 Revolutionary Forces Bloc
Page 2 of 7





Nasserist Party
Tourism Workers Syndicate
Al-Entemaa' Al Masry Party
Al Mostaqbal al-Gedeed (New Future) Party
Damietta Federation of Independent Workers
After the collapse of Amr Moussa’s alliance, spokesperson Abdel Nabi Abdel Sattar called
for Moussa to lead the coalition
EGYPTIAN WAFD ALLIANCE (AL WAFD AL-MASRY)
The Egyptian Wafd Alliance has seen much upheaval in the past few months. Led by the
Wafd Party, several parties have withdrawn from the coalition or shied away from joining,
among them the Tagammu Party, and the Egyptian Social Democratic Party. Most recently in
February, however, the Ghad Party, the Adl Party, and the Conference Party all came
together to join the Wafd Party for the upcoming elections. Within two weeks of joining the
alliance, the Adl Party announced its intention to boycott the elections.
The future of the Wafd alliance remains uncertain, with reports emerging that its leading
party, the Wafd, plans to join the For the Love of Egypt list. The Egyptian Front has also
reportedly joined forces with the Egyptian Wafd Alliance and the Conference Party for a joint
electoral list in Upper Egypt.
Members:
 Wafd (Delegation) Party
 Mo’tamar (Conference) Party (Unclear if the party has left the coalition)
 Ghad (Tomorrow) Party
 Adl (Justice) Party
 Reform and Development Misruna Party (Islah wel tanmeya)
 Conservative Party (Al Mohafzeen)
 Consciousness/Awareness (Wa’ay) Party
 Arab Alliance Party
 Arab Party for Justice and Equality
 Reform and Renaissance Party
 National Partnership Current (Tayar al-Sharaka)
 Pioneer (Al Reyada) Party
 Federation of Egyptian Workers Abroad
EGYPT’S RENAISSANCE (SAHWAT MISR)
Sometimes also referred to as Egypt’s Reawakening, the alliance was founded by Abdel Gelil
Moustafa, a former member of the constituent assembly tasked with drafting Egypt’s
constitution. The coalition has explicitly stated that it excludes all members of the NDP and
the Muslim Brotherhood.
Members:
 Civil Democratic Current
 National Bloc
 Mostaqbal Watan Party
 Masr Gaya Front
 Egyptian Social Democratic Party
 Socialist Party of Egypt
Page 3 of 7
The coalition also includes many prominent figures, among them:
 Ahmed Boraie, former Minister of Social Justice
 George Ishaq, a leading member of the Kefaya Movement
 Mona Zulfaqar, a law professor
 Galal Amin, an economist
 Mervat Tallawy, the head of the National Council for Women
SOCIAL JUSTICE COALITION (TAHALUF AL-ADALA AL IGTIMA’EYA)
The Leftist/Nasserist coalition was formed in December, 2014, and is made up of over twenty
parties and movements. The alliance’s platform includes abolishing the protest law, rejecting
US aid to Egypt, and conducting speedy corruption trials.
Among its prominent members are:
 National Association for Change (Al Gam’aiya Al Wataneya Lil Taghyeer)
 Nasserist People's Congress Party (Hezb al-Motamar al-Sha’by al Nassery)
 Nasserist National Accord Party (Hezb al-Wefaq a-Qawmy al-Nassery)
 Knights of Egypt Party (Hezb Fersan Misr)
 Egyptian Liberation Party (Al Tahrir al-Masry)
The Egyptian Communist Party, the Equality and Development Party and the Kenana Party
withdrew from the alliance, accusing the senior coordinator of the alliance, Gamal Zahran, of
dictating rules from above.
LONG LIVE EGYPT COALITION (TAHYA MISR)
Founded by Major General Abdel-Rafia Darwish in August 2014, the Long Live Egypt
coalition is a pro-Sisi alliance. Made up of fifty-eight parties, it also includes several retired
military officials.
Among the fifty-eight parties and movements on the list are:
 New Dawn Party (Al Fagr al Gedeed)
 International Association for Human Rights and Anti-corruption
 African Arab Center, Egypt
 Armed Forces Retirees Coalition
 Arab Revolutionary Council for Human Rights and Development
 Cairo University Staff
 Cairo Youth Coalition
 Independent Ecologists Syndicate
 Egyptian Council for Egypt’s Farmers
 Information Personnel
 Independent Journalism staff Syndicate
 Qena Youth Coalition
 Sharqiya Youth Coalition
 Physically Challenged Coalition
 Dignitaries Syndicate
 Cairo Coptic Youth Coalition
 Theater personnel Coalition
POPULAR LONG LIVE EGYPT COALITION (Tahya Masr al-Sha’by)
Founded in August 2014, the Long Live Egypt coalition’s members includes Mohamed alOrabi as its general coordinator, as well as former Mubarak-era Prime Minister Ali Lutfi.
Page 4 of 7
Many of its members are former ministers as well as retired police and military generals. The
alliance members will run as independents. Prominent members include:
 Mohamed Nour Farahat, judge and constitutional expert
 Mustafa al-Fiqi, a political thinker and former MP
 Yehia al-Gammal, former Deputy Prime Minister
 Major General Naguib Abdel Salam Rashdan, former head of the Republican Guard
 Major General Hussein Kamel, former head of Omar Suleiman’s office
NIDAA MISR (CALL OF EGYPT)
The Nidaa Misr coalition has taken a page from Tunisia, emulating the Nidaa Tounes party
which successfully contested the 2014 parliamentary elections. The spokesperson for Nidaa
Misr is Tarek Zeidan, the head of the Egyptian Revolution Party.
Nidaa Misr welcomed Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to Egypt, saying it was a step
in the right direction.
Members of the coalition include:
 Egyptian Revolution Party (Hezb al Thawra Al Masreya)
 New Independent Party
 Human Rights and Citizenship Party (Hoqooq al Insan wal Mowaten)
 We Are the People Party
 Revolutionary Guards Party
 Al Sarah Al Masry (Egyptian Monument Party)
 Arab Party for Justice and Equality (Hezb al-Araby lel Adl Wal Musawa)
 Socialist Labor Party (Al Amal Al Sheraky)
 Al Mostaqaleen Al Gedood (New Independent Party)
 Umma (Nation) Party
 Ana Masry Movement (I am Egyptian)
 Ehna al Sha’b (We are the people)
 Ibny Baladak (Build your country)
 Al Haraka Al Talebeya (The Student Movement)
 Itiaf al-’Am Lelthawra ( The General Coalition for the Revolution)
 Itilaf Othar al Shohada’ we Mosaby al Thawra (Coalition of the Families of the
Revolution’s Martyrs)
 Gam’aya al Masreya le heqooq al-Insan (Egyptian Association for Human Rights)
 Association of the descendants of Zubair bin Awam (Rabeta Ahfad al Zayad bin
Awam)
25/30 ALLIANCE
The 25-30 Alliance is a coalition of independent candidates including Abdel Hakim Gamal
Abdel Nasser, Shahenda Maqled, Abdel Halim Qandil. While it had been a part of the
Independent Current, the group announced that it will run as independents, giving individual
members the choice to participate in party lists.
DEMOCRATIC CURRENT ALLIANCE (AL TAYYAR AL-DIMOQRATI)
The Democratic Current Alliance originally consisted of eight parties. It has since fallen apart
with all of its parties boycotting with the exception of one party - the Karama Party, which
will run only for individual seats. The Adl Party joined the Wafd Alliance for less than two
weeks before announcing its decision to boycott.
Page 5 of 7
Its members were:
 Popular Current
 Dostour (Constitution) Party
 Adl (Justice) Party
 Socialist Popular Alliance Party
 Freedom Egypt Party (founded by Amr Hamzawy)
 Egyptian Popular Current
 Karama (Dignity) Party
 Bread and Freedom (Eish We Horreya) Party (Founded by lawyer and former
presidential candidate Khaled Ali)
The Egyptian Wafd Alliance and the Democratic Current had also been discussing a merger,
but it fell through.
PROMINENT INDEPENDENTS
Among the prominent independent names who have applied to run in the upcoming elections
are Mubarak-era steel tycoon Ahmed Ezz, and his wife Shahinaz Al Nagar. Ezz is a former
ruling member of the NDP and was convicted of money laundering and was sentenced to
seven years. His conviction was overturned on appeal. He was also accused of orchestrating
the rigging of the 2010 parliamentary elections in which the NDP won 99 percent of the
seats. Other former NDP members who have applied to run include businessman Talaat alSeweidy and Magdy Ashour a former NDP MP for Zagazig.
Other prominent names include former Members of Parliament Hany Serour and Haider alBaghdady, activist and writer Fatima Naoot, former Interior Minister Habib al-Adly’s
defense lawyer, Mohamed al-Gendy, singer Mostafa Kamel, bellydancer Sama al-Masry,
lawyer and Zamalek Sporting club head Mortada Mansour and his son Ahmed, columnist
Mahmoud al-Asqalani and his wife, and Mohamed Zaki Badr the son of the former interior
minister of Egypt.
PARTIES RUNNING ALONE
The Sadat Democratic Party, led by Effat al-Sadat, will be fielding candidates
independently. The party had previously announced its support for Abdel Fattah al-Sisi’s
presidential bid
The Salafist Nour Party has also repeatedly stated it will not join an alliance. Led by Younes
Makhioun, the party will run its candidates as independents. It expects to win 30 percent of
the seats. 60 percent of the party’s ex-deputies will be excluded from running in the elections.
In the 2012 parliamentary elections, the Nour Party won almost 30 percent of the seats, the
second largest number of seats after the Muslim Brotherhood. The party’s decision to support
the June 30 protests and the ouster of former president Mohamed Morsi, has led to
speculation over whether or not the party has alienated its hardline supporters.
BOYCOTTERS
To date, a total of ten parties have announced that they are boycotting the elections. These
include the Islamist Wasat, Watan, and Building and Development parties. Of these three
parties, the Building and Development Party, the political arm of al-Jama’a al-Islamiya, is the
only Islamist party actively boycotting that still belongs to the Muslim Brotherhood-led,
National Alliance to Support Legitimacy. The Wasat and Watan parties previously withdrew
from the alliance.
Page 6 of 7
Of the secular parties, all once belonged to the Democratic Current Alliance: the Dostour
Party, Socialist Popular Alliance Party, the Popular Current, the Freedom Egypt Party,
the Bread and Freedom Party, and the Adl Party.
The centrist Strong Egypt Party, led by former Muslim Brotherhood member, Abdel
Moneim Aboul Fotouh has also decided to boycott the elections.
Page 7 of 7