Egyptian Social Democratic Party

Egyptian Social Democratic Party
الحزب المصرى الديمقراطى الإجتماعى
PresidentFarid Zahran
Secretary-GeneralBassem Kamel
FounderMohamed Abou El-Ghar
Founded29 March 2011 (2011-03-29)
Merger of
Headquarters17 Mohamed Mahmoud street, Tahrir square, Cairo
Youth wingUnion of Egyptian Social Democratic Youth
IdeologySecularism
Social democracy[1]
Social liberalism[2]
Liberalism[3]
Political positionCentre-left[2]
National affiliationCivil Democratic Movement[4]
European affiliationParty of European Socialists (observer)
International affiliationProgressive Alliance
Colours  Red
  Orange
SloganTogether for Change
Arabic: معا للتغيير
House of Representatives
7 / 596
Senate
3 / 300
Website
egysdp.org
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The Egyptian Social Democratic Party (Arabic: الحزب المصرى الديمقراطى الاجتماعى, romanized: al-Ḥizb al-Maṣrī al-Dimuqrāṭī al-Ijtmāʿī, IPA: [elˈħezb elˈmɑsˤɾi ldemokˈɾɑːtˤi leɡteˈmæːʕi]) is a social liberal and social democratic party in Egypt. It was founded after the 2011 Egyptian Revolution by the merger of two minor liberal parties, the Liberal Egyptian Party, and the Egyptian Democratic Party on 29 March 2011.[5]

The current president is Farid Zahran, and his vice presidents of the party are Dr. Ehab Elkharat, Dr. Freddy Elbaiady, Dr. Maha Abdelnaser, Mahmoud Samy, Amira Saber, and Khaled Rashed

Notable founding members include Mohamed Abou El-Ghar, film maker Daoud Abdel Sayed,[2] activist Amr Hamzawy, Mervat Tallawy, former UN under-secretary and executive secretary of ESCWA, and Hazem Al Beblawi, former executive secretary of the ESCWA,[6][7] and later interim prime minister of Egypt under President Adly Mansour. However, Amr Hamzawy resigned from the party in April[8] to form the Freedom Egypt Party on 18 May 2011.[9]

In August 2012, the party was admitted into the Socialist International as a consultative member.[10]

The Egyptian Social Democratic Party and the Tagammu Party ran in the 2012 Shura council election as part of the Egyptian Bloc. The division of seats between the two parties in the Shura Council is unclear.[11][12]

The party was accepted into the Party of European Socialists (PES) on 18 February 2013.[13]

Following the removal of Mohamed Morsi from office in July 2013, a founding member of the Social Democratic Party named Ziad Bahaa El-Din was reportedly offered the post of Prime Minister.[14] Younes Makhioun, chairman of the Nour Party, objected to Bahaa El-Din's appointment and to the involvement of Mohamed ElBaradei, because both of them belong to the same political coalition (the National Salvation Front). However, later another founding member of the Social Democratic Party, Hazem Al Beblawi, was appointed as interim prime minister on 9 July.[15] He subsequently suspended his membership in the Social Democratic Party.[16] His cabinet was sworn in on 16 July 2013.[17]

The party nominated chairman Farid Zahran for the 2023 Egyptian presidential election who came in third place with 4.01% of the vote (or 1,776,952 votes).

Policies

It emphasises both free market economics and social justice, as part of a free and democratic system. The cornerstone of its programme is a constitution that guarantees a civil state is based on citizenship. This is similar to other parties such as al-Tagammu and the Free Egyptians Party. ESDP advocated for the protection and promotion of human rights in Egypt. This included efforts to strengthen civil liberties, freedom of expression, and the protection of minority rights. The party supported democratic governance and the rule of law, reduced corruption. Farid Zahran has come out to combat inflation, reduce debt, as well as "limiting the ownership of the state-owned bodies to only major strategic projects, such as: the Suez Canal Authority, iron and steel, the aluminum complex, and the electricity, water and sewage companies."

It aimed to strengthen democratic institutions and promote political pluralism in Egypt. The ESDP emphasized social justice and aimed to address economic disparities in Egyptian society, as well as a strong government and military (but abolishing the army immunity from parliamentary oversight). This included advocating for fair distribution of resources, social welfare programs, and policies to reduce poverty. The ESDP is focused on improving education and healthcare systems. This encompassed efforts to enhance the quality of education, increase access to healthcare, and address challenges within these sectors.

Electoral history

Presidential elections

Election Party candidate Votes % Result
2023 Farid Zahran 1,776,952 4.01% Lost Red XN

House of Representatives elections

Election Seats +/– Result
2011
16 / 508
 Increase 16 Opposition
2015
4 / 596
 Decrease 12 Opposition
2020
7 / 596
 Increase 3 Opposition

Senate

Election Seats +/– Result
2012
8 / 300
 Increase 8 Opposition
2020
3 / 300
 Decrease 5 Opposition

References

  1. ^ "Egyptian Social Democratic Party", Egyptian Elections Watch Via al Ahram, 18 November 2011, archived from the original on 14 November 2020, retrieved 19 December 2013
  2. ^ a b c Lina El Wardani (20 April 2011), "Ahram Online's idiot's guide to Egypt's emergent political landscape", Al Ahram, archived from the original on 10 December 2020, retrieved 19 December 2013
  3. ^ "Al-Masry al-Dimuqrati al-Igtima'i (Egyptian Social Democratic Party)", Guide to Egypt's Transition: Parties and Alliances, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, 4 November 2011, archived from the original on 29 November 2011
  4. ^ "Eight liberal and leftist Egyptian parties to boycott 2018 presidential elections". Ahram Online. 30 January 2018. Archived from the original on 10 February 2018. Retrieved 30 January 2018.
  5. ^ "Egyptian liberal parties merge", Hürriyet Daily News, 30 March 2011, archived from the original on 1 December 2011, retrieved 19 December 2013
  6. ^ Presentation of the Board of Egyptian SDP Archived 20 June 2011 at the Wayback Machine (in Arabic), retrieved 25 June 2011
  7. ^ "Egypt's finance minister resigns, Beblawi officially appointed". Ahram Online. 17 July 2011. Archived from the original on 12 December 2013. Retrieved 19 December 2013.
  8. ^ "Hamzawy resigns from party over statement on military", Ahram Online, 12 April 2011, archived from the original on 10 December 2020, retrieved 19 December 2013
  9. ^ Mohamed El Hebeishy (16 May 2011), "Political star Hamzawy founds his own party", Ahram Online, archived from the original on 3 August 2020, retrieved 19 December 2013
  10. ^ "Progressive Politics for a Fairer World". Socialist International. 1 September 2012. Archived from the original on 10 August 2018. Retrieved 19 December 2013.
  11. ^ "Results of Shura Council Elections". Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. 29 September 2012. Archived from the original on 22 December 2012.
  12. ^ "Egyptian Bloc divided over boycotting Shura Council elections". Egypt Independent. 1 October 2012. Archived from the original on 1 August 2013. Retrieved 17 January 2013.
  13. ^ "ESDP gains membership to European Socialist bloc". Daily News Egypt. 19 February 2013. Archived from the original on 20 December 2013. Retrieved 19 December 2013.
  14. ^ "Update 2: Bahaa El-Din offered Egypt's PM job, ElBaradei set to be appointed VP". Ahram Online. 7 July 2013. Archived from the original on 16 November 2018. Retrieved 19 December 2013.
  15. ^ Bacon, John (9 July 2013). "Egypt names new prime minister". USA Today. Archived from the original on 16 July 2013. Retrieved 19 December 2013.
  16. ^ Joel Gulhane; Charlie Miller (15 July 2013). "El Beblawi continues to meet ministerial candidates". Daily News Egypt. Archived from the original on 18 July 2013. Retrieved 19 December 2013.
  17. ^ "Egypt's interim president is swearing in first government". Ahram Online. 16 July 2013. Archived from the original on 18 June 2018. Retrieved 19 December 2013.