Authenticity Party

Authenticity Party
حزب الأصالة
ChairmanEhab Shiha[1]
FoundedJuly 2011[2]
IdeologyReligious conservatism
Islamism
Salafism
Political positionFar-right
National affiliationNational Legitimacy Support Coalition[3]
House of Representatives
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The Authenticity Party (Arabic: حزب الأصالة, ḥizb el-asala) is one of the political parties created in Egypt after the 2011 Egyptian Revolution. It has an ultra-conservative Islamist Salafist ideology, which believes in implementing strict Sharia law.[4] The party was formed by the former head of the Virtue Party, General Adel Abdel Maksoud; he left the Virtue Party after allegedly discovering a plot which changed the moderate principles of the party.[5] The party is considering leaving the Anti-Coup Alliance.[6]

In the 2011–12 Egypt parliamentary elections, the Authenticity party ran on the platform of the Islamist Bloc led by Al-Nour Party, another Salafist party. The Islamist Bloc received 7,534,266 votes out of a total 27,065,135 correct votes (27.8%). The Islamist Bloc gained 127 of the 498 parliamentary seats contested, second-place after the Muslim Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party. The Authenticity Party received 3 of these 127 seats.[7]

Lawsuit against Islamic parties

The Authenticity 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."[8] The Alexandria Urgent Matters Court however ruled on 26 November 2014 that it lacked jurisdiction.[9]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Salafi-oriented Asala Party elects new chairman". Egypt Independent. 4 January 2013. Retrieved 13 December 2013.
  2. ^ "Al Asalah'". Hiwar Magazine. Archived from the original on 30 October 2013. Retrieved 13 December 2013.
  3. ^ "Islamist forces join together for Rabaa Al-Adaweya protest", Daily News Egypt, 28 June 2013, retrieved 13 December 2013
  4. ^ "The Authenticity Party (Al-Assala Party)". Egypt Electionnaire. Retrieved 13 December 2013.
  5. ^ "Egypt's Salafists proliferate with yet another Salafi party in the works". Ahram Online. 11 July 2011. Retrieved 13 December 2013.
  6. ^ تحالف "المعزول" يحتضر, Al Masry Al Youm, 4 October 2014, retrieved 4 October 2014
  7. ^ "Interactive: Full Egypt election results - Interactive". Al Jazeera English. 1 February 2012. Retrieved 13 December 2013.
  8. ^ Auf, Yussef (25 November 2014). "Political Islam's Fate in Egypt Lies in the Hands of the Courts". Atlantic Council. Retrieved 1 December 2014.
  9. ^ "Court claims no jurisdiction over religiously affiliated parties". Daily News Egypt. 26 November 2014. Retrieved 1 December 2014.