Building and Development Party

Building and Development Party
حزب البناء والتنمية
El-Benaa Wa El-Tanmia
Chairman Tarek al-Zumar[1]
Founded 20 June 2011 (2011-06-20)
Ideology Islamism
National affiliation National Legitimacy Support Coalition[2]
House of Representatives
0 / 568
Website
benaaparty.com

The Building and Development Party (Arabic: حزب البناء والتنمية, translit. Hizb el-Benaa wa el-Tanmia, alternatively translated as Construction and Development Party) is an Islamist political party in Egypt.

Initiated by the al-Gama'a al-Islamiyya ("Islamic Group"), it is seen as the political wing of the movement.[3][4] The party was established on 20 June 2011,[5] following the 2011 Egyptian revolution, and officially endorsed by the Supreme Administrative Court on 10 October 2011.[6] The Building and Development Party has participated in the Egyptian parliamentary election, 2011–2012 as part of the Alliance for Egypt (dubbed as the "Islamist Bloc"), led by the Salafist Al-Nour Party.[7] The possible dissolution of the party is being investigated by the Political Parties Affairs Committee.[8]

According to its manifesto, the party stands for a representative democracy with institutions guided by the principles of the Sharia, while rejecting any form of theocracy. Moreover, it favours a free economy and questions the size of the public sector.[9] Among the party's ranks is Abbud al-Zumar, who was imprisoned for nearly twenty years for involvement in the assassination of the Egyptian president Anwar Sadat.[10]

The group has accepted the resignation of Assem Abdel Magued following his incitement against the Egyptian military; the organization has expressed its commitment to peace following the coup that toppled Mohamed Morsi.[11] The party is considering leaving the Anti-Coup Alliance; it has called for reconciliation with the Sisi administration.[12] al-Gama'a al-Islamiyya, the parent organization of the party, is considering participating in the 2015 parliamentary election.[13]

Lawsuit against Islamic parties

The Building and Development Party is one of the eleven Islamic parties targeted by a lawsuit in November 2014, when an organization named Popular Front for opposing the Brotherhoodization of Egypt sought to dissolve all political parties established "on a religious basis."[14] The Alexandria Urgent Matters Court however ruled on 26 November 2014 that it lacked jurisdiction.[15]

References

  1. "Tarek El Zomor elected new secretary general for Building and Development party". Daily News Egypt. 28 June 2013. Retrieved 13 December 2013.
  2. Islamist forces join together for Rabaa Al-Adaweya protest, Daily News Egypt, 28 June 2013, retrieved 13 December 2013
  3. Sanger-Weaver, Jodi (8 November 2011), "Elections in Egypt: The Muslim Brotherhood, Theocracy and Democracy", Prospect, retrieved 13 December 2013
  4. "Al-Banna' wa al-Tanmiyya (Building and Development Party)", Guide to Egypt's Transition, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, retrieved 13 December 2013
  5. "The Construction and Development Party (Al Jamaah Al Islamiya)", Egyptian Elections 2011, The Danish Egyptian Dialogue Institute, retrieved 3 November 2014
  6. el-Karanshawi, Shaimaa (10 October 2011), "Egyptian court approves new political parties", Egypt Independent, retrieved 3 November 2014
  7. "Islamist Bloc (Alliance for Egypt)", Egypt Elections Watch, Jadaliyya and Ahram Online, 18 November 2011, retrieved 13 December 2013
  8. "Al-Jamaa Al-Islamiya's political wing faces possible dissolution over terrorism charges", Daily News Egypt, 2 September 2014, retrieved 17 September 2014
  9. "The Building and Development Party (Al-Benaa Wal Tanmeya)", Egypt Electionnaire, retrieved 13 December 2013
  10. "Al-Jamaa Al-Islamiya's party hold first press conference in Aswan, Upper Egypt", Ahram Online, 21 October 2011, retrieved 13 December 2013
  11. Jama’a al-Islamiya rejects Assem Abdel Magued, Egypt Independent, 5 December 2013, retrieved 13 December 2013
  12. Watan Party withdraws from NASL, Egypt Independent, 17 September 2014, retrieved 17 September 2014
  13. ""الجماعة الإسلامية": لم نحسم موقفنا من الانتخاباتالبرلمانية حتى الآن". Youm7. 3 November 2014. Retrieved 3 November 2014.
  14. Auf, Yussef (25 November 2014). "Political Islam's Fate in Egypt Lies in the Hands of the Courts". Atlantic Council. Retrieved 1 December 2014.
  15. "Court claims no jurisdiction over religiously affiliated parties". Daily News Egypt. 26 November 2014. Retrieved 1 December 2014.
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