NEW WAFD

egyptian political party.

The Wafd, outlawed by Gamal Abdel Nasser in 1953, was relaunched in 1977 by its former secretary-general, Fuʾad Sarraj al-Din, as the New Wafd. The New Wafd, again the party of constitutional nationalism, liberalization, and landed and professional interests, was seen as a spent force by President Anwar al-Sadat, who therefore made it the first legal opposition party in 1978. It quickly developed a mass membership and outspoken opposition to his domestic and foreign policies, and alleged the un-constitutionality of presidential rule by referenda rather than regulated election. The government then banned the participation of politicians active before 1952, and the New Wafd disbanded in protest.

The party re-emerged in 1983 after Husni Mubarak's renewed liberalization. In 1984 it contested the elections in alliance with the Muslim Brotherhood and won 15 percent of the vote (58 seats), making it the largest opposition party. The alliance collapsed, and in 1987 the New Wafd fought alone and won 35 seats. In 1990 the New Wafd initiated an election boycott widely credited with defending the political system in the face of emergency laws. Throughout its existence, however, the party has carefully moderated its opposition to the regime, leading to accusations of clientalism and to continuing internal tensions over the legitimate extent of opposition. In the 1995 elections the party turned broadside against the Muslim Brotherhood, and again received criticism for supporting the government line. By contrast, the strengthening of New Wafd opposition to Islamism has also been seen as a product of a deepening secularist-Islamist cleavage. New Wafd secularism also is underpinned by support from Coptic voters.

Serageddin died in 2000 and was replaced as party leader by his deputy, Nuʿman Jumaʿa.

see also egypt; wafd.

Bibliography

Hinnebusch, Raymond. Egyptian Politics under Sadat. Cambridge, U.K.: Cambridge University Press, 1985.

Kassem, May. In the Guise of Democracy: Governance in Contemporary Egypt. Reading, U.K.: Ithaca Press, 1999.

raymond william baker
updated by george r. wilkes