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The Wafd Party took its name from “the delegation” (in , wafd ) composed of Saʿd Zaghlul and other notables who called for the complete independence of from the British immediately after World War I. When Britain refused to negotiate with the Wafd and exiled its leaders, Egypt launched a full-scale rebellion in 1919. A sophisticated network of organizers in key cities and villages allowed the Wafd to dominate the political scene.

It is the extension of one of the oldest and historically most active political parties in Egypt, Wafd Party, which was dismantled after the 1952 Revolution. The New Wafd was established in 1978, but banned only months later. It was revived after President Anwar Sadats' assassination in 1981.

In Egypt's legislative and presidential elections in November and December 2005, the party won 6 out of 454 seats in the People's Assembly, and its presidential candidate Numan Gumaa received 2.9 per cent of the total votes cast for president.

Pharmaceuticals tycoon El-Sayyid el-Badawi is the current party chairman after winning Al- Wafd's internal election on May 28, 2010 against Mahmoud Abaza, who was the party chairman after succeeding Numan Gumaa in 2006.

Following the 2011 Revolution the party joined the National Democratic Alliance for Egypt electoral bloc, which is dominated by the 's Freedom and (Egypt). As the date neared for fielding candidate lists, Wafd left the alliance and competed in the elections independently. In the subsequent parliamentary elections, the Party came third with 9.2% of the vote [(2,480,391 votes) (42 seats), and was the most successful non-Islamist party.

Chairman: El-Sayyid el-Badawi Vice Chairman: Ahmed Ezz al-Arab Secretary-General: Foaad Badrawi Founded: February 4, 1978 Headquarters: Dokki, Giza Newspaper: Al-Wafd News Ideology: National , Liberalism, Egyptian Political position: Centre-right

1Boles Hanna St., Dokki, Giza, Egypt Tel: 00202-33383111/33383222 http://www.alwafd.org/