Former presidential candidate and Hosni Mubarak-era foreign minister Amr Moussa says he's seeking to establish an electoral alliance to support newly-elected President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi and the new regime.
In a statement to Saudi newspaper Al-Sharq Al-Awsat published on Thursday, Moussa said everyone must unite for the interest of the country and work towards forming a strong parliament.
On Wednesday, Mousa met with several parties, including the liberal Free Egyptians Party, the centre-left Egyptian Social Democratic Party (ESDP), the Mubarak-era leftist Tagamoa Party and the liberal Wafd Party for talks about a possible alliance.
Other prominent figures attending the meeting included former General Intelligence head Mourad Muwafi.
The main purpose of the alliance is to be the "guardian of the constitution", Moussa told Al-Ahram on Wednesday.
Both the Social Democratic Party and the Wafd Party have been critical of a recently-passed parliamentary law which leaves only a small portion of parliamentary seats for party lists, which are closed in the new law in contrast with the 2011-2012 law which allowed open lists.
The new law stipulates the election of 20 percent of seats through lists, unlike the two-thirds elected through lists in 2012.
Conversely, the Free Egyptians Party had minor criticisms but said it is preparing itself to run, urging authorities this week to announce electoral constituencies.
The party has decided to postpone its decision on whether to join Mousa's alliance, but its spokesperson Shehab Wagih told Ahram Online that all options are on the table.
The Wafd Party has expressed its willingness to join, though. Speaking with Al-Ahram Masai, Al-Ahram's nightly issue, the party's Assistant Secretary-General Tarek Sabbaa echoed Mousa's belief that the coming parliament must support El-Sisi and an alliance representing Egypt's "civil" (non-religious) current should be established.
Despite not having taken a decision yet, the Tagamoa Party says it's open to forge alliances. Spokesman Nabil Zaki told Ahram Online that the party believes in the importance of forming a strong alliance with the main political parties in Egypt to form a parliamentary majority and government – as per the constitution.
Zaki said the party is still in the discussions phase and will not make a move until an agreement is reached between parties that are willing to ally.
The ESDP's decision is on hold. Ahram Online was unable to reach the ESDP for comment.
However, Ahmed Fawzy, a member of the party's political committee, said earlier that the party's alliances should be discussed and approved by the party's political committee.
The fact that some leading members including party head Mohamed Aboul-Ghar have met with various groups does not mean that the ESDP has taken any stands yet, he said.
Procedures for Egypt's parliamentary elections must commence before 17 July, according to the 2014 constitution.
