Istikmal al-Thawra (“Completing the Revolution” Alliance) is a new player primarily made up of the former Egypt Bloc members. It is the most significant after Islamist Alliance, with the following members: Egypt Freedom Party (EFP), Socialist Popular Alliance Party (SPAP), Egyptian Current Party (ECP), Equality and Development Party (EDP), Egyptian Liberation Party (ELP), Revolutionary Youth Coalition (RYC), Union of Independent Farmers (UIF), Youth Movement for Justice and Freedom, and al-Nahda. Istikmal al-Thawra’s make-up shifts towards the youth parties. It includes moderate, liberal, and socialist Islamist parties. Both EFP and SPAP split off from Egypt Bloc. Presented herein is a State-Building simulation of a constitutional convention of Egypt.
The major identifying characteristic of the group is its diversity in terms of membership and ideologies. Just as the “Completing the Revolution” Alliance, the group’s membership is drawn from various parties and movements. These include EFP, SPAP, ECP, EDP, ELP, and RYC. The group operates on social-democratic principles, with a fine line between the social justice and the free enterprise, and also between the secularism and the willingness to cooperate with the Islamists.
The group has various ideologies ranging from political, socioeconomic, to foreign. The political ideologies include ensuring that the Egyptians citizenship rights are fully and equally enjoyed without any discrimination on grounds of gender, religious affiliation, or social background. The group also undertakes to reduce, or completely eliminate discrimination facing the Egyptians with the special needs, especially with regard to living conditions and employment. The group is also committed in maintaining pluralism values, respect for the rights of every citizen, freedom, tolerance, and the commitment of all citizens in participating in public affairs. In addition, the group is committed to enforcing the international human rights standards. Other political ideologies include making Egypt a civil and democratic state without any discrimination among individuals; establishing a government that is accountable to its people; calling for the removal of the emergency law; calling for judicial independence; and putting an end to military trials of the civilians.
The economic ideologies of the group include supporting the free market economy with commitment to social dimensions, reduction of monopolies and formulation of comprehensive development plans that accelerate investment in critical sectors, and ensuring that citizens have a right to education, healthcare, housing, and employment. The group is also committed to ensuring that every Egyptian has a decent life by calling for and supporting government programs such as disability insurance, unemployment benefits, healthcare services, and social security and pensions. The group undertakes to promote and spread the culture of respect and peace, opposing the attacks especially on places of worship, and decreasing poverty by any means possible.
The group undertakes to ensure that all state resources are included in the public budget, with preliminary oversight and transparency in budgetary matters. In achieving social justice, the group undertakes to spearhead the implementation of the tax reform which includes the abolition of the indirect taxation, proper management of the natural resources in a manner that the revenues benefit all the people, and adopting a comprehensive and appropriate social insurance system. Other commitments include reduction of unemployment by implementing national projects that stimulate youth employment in the industrial and agricultural sectors. Finally, the group undertakes to protect the women’s reproductive rights.
The group’s foreign policy ideologies include maintaining the country’s national security through securing the country’s borders. It also undertakes to support the full corporation with every stakeholder including the people, civil society organizations, and the international bodies. The group affirms the identity of Egypt as an Islamic, Arab, and African nation with priorities of promoting the Islamic, the Arab, and the African ideologies. Other foreign policy issues that the group seriously calls for are: reevaluation of the partnerships and trade agreements in a manner that the interests of the Egyptians are served; calling for cooperation with other African nations, especially Nile Basin countries; supporting democracy in Arab nations; and calling for the resolution of Arab-Israeli conflict.
In regard to the Egyptian revolution, the group’s most important commitment includes making the country a civil and democratic state and completely eliminating discrimination. The group undertakes to maintain the rights and freedoms of every citizen, uphold the pluralism values, and encourage the commitment of every citizen in participating in the public affairs. Another top commitment is the support for free market economy, reduction of monopolies, and acceleration of investment in the key sectors. A top priority focus of the group is ensuring that every citizen has a right to quality healthcare, quality education, employment, and housing. Finally, the group considers peace and respect as the key to harmonious stay. It therefore calls for the culture of peace and respect within and across the borders.
Of the groups participating in the simulation, our allies shall be the groups with whom we share common ideologies such as The National Association for Change. Other groups with different ideologies shall definitely be our competitors.
Bibliography
Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Egypt’s Transition. Accessed March 30, 2012. http://egyptelections.carnegieendowment.org/category/alliances
Haddadi, Anissa. “Egypt: Parliamentary Elections Factfile.” International Business Times. Accessed March 30, 2012. http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/articles/253983/20111122/egypt-parliamentary-elections-fact-file.htm
