Liberal Egyptian Party

The Liberal Egyptian Party (Egyptian Arabic: الحزب المصري الليبرالي, El Hezb El Masri El Librali), formerly Mother Egypt Party, was a liberal and secular political party in Egypt advocating democracy and Egyptian nationalism. This liberal party used to be a political party in Egypt until the merger with another liberal party, the Egyptian Democratic Party, to the Egyptian Social Democratic Party on 29 March 2011.^[1]

The party built on previous attempts by native anti-colonial activists in the early 20th century to re-assert ethnic Egyptian identity, based in part on national independence from the British and the Ottomans, the establishment of a secular and democratic national government, and the formalization of the local language. It also sought to revive the indigenous Egyptian language and to disassociate Egypt from the Arab nationalist policies introduced by Gamal Abdel Nasser. The Liberal Egyptian Party called for separating religion from politics and most civil affairs. The party also called for capitalism and reducing the influence of the public sector in the economy. In its early history it called for full normalization with Israel, though this stance was repealed after subsequent alliances with Islamists and leftists.

The founder of the Liberal Egyptian party was Mahmoud El Pher'oni, from the Assiut Governorate.

Ideas and goals

• The application of a liberal democracy in Egypt.
• Complete secularization and religious neutrality on a political level.
• The reassertion of the Egyptian identity separate from the pan-Arab identity.
• Recognizing Masri (the colloquial language of the Egyptian people) as the official language of Egypt.
• Reviving the Egyptian language.
• Complete religious freedom and protecting the rights of religious minorities to practice their own faith.
• Removing the authority of religious scholars to affect political decisions under the pretext of Sharia law.
• Ensuring that freedom of opinion, expression and belief extends to all members of Egyptian society.

See also

• List of political parties in Egypt
• Liberalism in Egypt
• Politics of Egypt

References

Historical parties in Egypt Arab Socialist Union Egyptian Communist Party Democratic Front Party Democratic Jihad Party Egyptian Current Party Egypt Revival Party Federal Party Liberal Egyptian Party Liberation Rally Egyptian Nation Party National Democratic Party National Union People's Party Saadist Institutional Party Egyptian Socialist Party Unified Egyptian Communist Party United Egyptian Communist Party Wafd Party Watani Party Young Egypt