Some of the MB youths took part in the Second Friday of Rage
Muslim Brotherhood youths once again defied the leaders of the Islamic group by revealing their intention of establishing a new political party, El-Tayar El-Masri (Egyptian Current), ignoring a strict rule that stipulates the Freedom and Justice (El-Horreya We El-Adala) is the only party MB members are allowed to join.
The MB has long been plagued with internal struggles and disputes within their ranks, especially between leaders and younger members who are apparently more religiously tolerant and are adopting different political views, seemingly more contemporary ones.
The Islamic group founded the Freedom and Justice party to ensure themselves a presence in the political scene. Senior member Mohamed Morsi was appointed as head of the party, which many of his peers joined. On the other hand, however, the Muslim Brotherhood youths snubbed it and later decided to form a party of their own in what appears to be an attempt to form their own independent identity.
Leaders of the Muslim Brotherhood youths, Islam Lotfi, Mohamed El-Kasaas and Mohamed Abbas, are among the founding member of El-Tayar El-Masri. The trio are also part of the Revolution Youth Coalition.
Forming a separate party is not the first act of disobedience by the MB youths as they once ignored an order from their superiors to withdraw from the Revolution Youth Coalition. Some of them also took part in the Second Day of Rage on 27 May, despite the MB boycotting the mass protest along with other Islamic forces.
The MB’s El-Tayar El-Masri is being introduced as a democratic party with an Islamic frame of reference that favours secularism in government. Liberals and lefties have also signed on to join the party, which has yet to lauch formally.
Disagreements within the MB ranks are not only between the old and new generations. Abdel Moneim Aboul-Fotouh, a former MB guidance bureau member, was recently expelled from the group for pursuing a presidential campaign.
During El-Hayah El-Youm television programme, Aboul-Fotouh stressed that he will get more votes than Mohamed ElBaradei, who has so far come across as the shoo-in for Egypt’s top job. He also hit out at the MB in the wake of his expulsion.
“There is a state of confusion within their ranks,” he said during programme on Tuesday, adding that the MB’s legal status is dubious.
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