The Democratic Jihad Party was an Egyptian political party made up of former members of the group
Egyptian Islamic Jihad
The Egyptian Islamic Jihad (EIJ, ar, الجهاد الإسلامي المصري), formerly called simply Islamic Jihad ( ar, الجهاد الإسلامي, links=no) and the Liberation Army for Holy Sites, originally referred to as al-Jihad, and ...
;
[ it was also made up of members of other "former jihadist groups".][ The party is also known as the Islamic Democratic Jihad Party,][ as well as the Islamist Jihadi Party.][ A member of the party has stated that the party has "failed". The party has stated that it supported ]Ahmed Shafiq
Ahmed Mohamed Shafik ZakiAlso spelled: ''Shafiq''. ( ar, أحمد محمد شفيق زكى, ; born 25 November 1941) is an Egyptian politician and former presidential candidate. He was a senior commander in the Egyptian Air Force and later ser ...
in the 2012 presidential election
This national electoral calendar for 2012 lists the national/ federal elections held in 2012 in all sovereign states and their dependent territories. By-elections are excluded, though national referendums are included.
January
*3–4 January ...
; Sabra Ibrahim, a deputy founder in the party, stated that the party gave its support to Shafiq in order to prevent the establishment of a theocratic state ruled by the Muslim Brotherhood.[ Yasser Saad][ is now a member of an umbrella coalition of former ]jihadis
Jihadism is a neologism which is used in reference to "militant Islamic movements that are perceived as existentially threatening to the West" and "rooted in political Islam."Compare: Appearing earlier in the Pakistani and Indian media, Wes ...
, ex-members of the Muslim Brotherhood and ex-al-Gama'a al-Islamiyya
( ar, الجماعة الإسلامية, "the Islamic Group"; also transliterated El Gama'a El Islamiyya; also called "Islamic Groups" and transliterated Gamaat Islamiya, al Jamaat al Islamiya, is an Egyptian Sunni Islamist movement, and ...
members called the Moderate Front.
Policy
Sheikh Yasser Saad, the leader of the party, has stated that the party will be inclusive regarding minorities.[ A young female party member named Hanan Nouredin appeared unveiled at the press conference announcing the plan to found the party.][
]
Criticism
The party was criticized by Muhammad al-Zawahiri for embracing democracy.
See also
* Islamic Party
Below are lists of political parties espousing Islamic identity or political Islam in various approaches under the system of Islamic democracy. Islamic democracy refers to a political ideology that seeks to apply Islamic principles to public po ...
, another political party founded by former Egyptian Islamic Jihad members
References
2012 establishments in Egypt
Centrist parties in Egypt
Defunct political parties in Egypt
Islamic political parties in Egypt
Political parties established in 2012
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