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Al-Ahram Weekly 7 - 13 September 2000 Issue No. 498 
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Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Al-Ahram Weekly 7 - 13 September 2000 Issue No. 498
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| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Egypt Region International Economy Opinion Culture Features Travel Living Sports Profile People Time Out Chronicles Cartoons Letters New Wafd, new blood
By Mustafa Kamel El-Sayed *
Last week's leadership turnover in the New Wafd Party deserves closer analysis, for several reasons. For one thing, the public, having lost hope that the opposition will ever come to power, or even influence the policies of the ruling party, has deserted opposition political parties. A new leader could bring new ideas to the party and to political debate in the country. The election could also be the prelude to activating the structures of the first opposition party in the country, and end the sclerosis now endemic in all political parties.
Such expectations are not unfounded. The new leader of the Wafd was chosen by the competent organ within the party in a truly exemplary competitive election. All the guarantees of fairness were fully met.
Moreover, the new leader belongs to a new generation in the party, a generation that did not take part in the Wafd's struggle before the revolution of July 1952. He joined the New Wafd Party when it was formed in 1977, because he thought that the party, besides its historical record, and not only because of it, has a useful role to play in Egypt's second experiment with a multi-party system. He paid the price for his enthusiasm, since he was one of 64 university professors who were forcefully transferred from the university to other jobs by the late President Anwar El-Sadat in his infamous September 1981 measures. He is therefore likely to realise that the New Wafd cannot overcome its present crisis by reminding Egyptian citizens continually of its glorious struggle against the British and the monarchy, and that it must adapt to the new conditions prevailing in Egypt at the beginning of the 21st century.
* This week's Soapbox speaker is professor of political science at Cairo University.
