File image of political activist and former International Atomic Energy Agency chief Mohamed ElBaradei (Photo: Reuters)
Former head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and one-time Egypt presidential hopeful, Mohamed ElBaradei announces the launch of the Constitution Party on Saturday.
Roughly three weeks ago, ElBaradei had announced he was in the process of co-founding a party.
In a press conference at the Journalists' Syndicate in downtown Cairo, ElBaradei announced the details of the new political party.
Renowned author and activist, Alaa Al-Aswany, joined ElBaradei on the podium along with the other co-founders of the party: international law professor Hossam Eissa, Ahmed Harara and Hala Shukrallah.
The party includes other prominent public figures, such as economist Galal Amin; TV host and activist Gamila Ismail; politician and Kifaya protest movement founder, George Ishaq; film director Khaled Youssef; film producer Mohamed El-Adl; co-founder of the Revolutionary Youth Coalition, Shadi El-Ghazali Harb and Rami Shaath.
The party, whose name has changed from the Revolution Party to the Constitution Party, aims to be a broad-based movement that forms "the nucleus of a coalition that will include all secular forces" in Egypt, according to ElBaradei's announcement in early April.
In February 2010, ElBaradei announced the formation of the National Association for Change. The main target of the association, which included prominent intellectuals and political figures, was to press for general reforms in the political scene.
ElBaradei withdrew from the presidential race in January in protest at the decision to elect a president before drafting a constitution, which would frame executive powers and responsibilities.
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