The Role of Political Parties in Egypt (1978-2017) and the Resilience of Authoritarianism A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment for the requirements of the Master Degree in Political Science Under the Supervision of Dr. Nadine Sika By Yasmeen Hamdy Mohamed Shaheen 900131039 Submitted to the Political Science Department The American University in Cairo 2018 Abstract 2 Abstract The current thesis focuses on the immense importance of the role of political parties in Egyptian politics and the Resilience of Authoritarianism, tracing their evolution and development from 1978 to 2017. It has proved that Egyptian political parties, in the period of the present work, have failed to consolidate democratic transformation by institutionalizing authoritarianism. This role has been so marginal that these pre- and post-Uprising political parties have been ridiculed as Ahzab Cartooniyah (Cardboard Parties). It has been found that about 100 parties out of 109 are remarkably so feeble and even paralyzed in their opposition to autocratic and dictatorial practices. Therefore, these political parties are incapable of supporting democratization. It has focused on the role of political parties in authoritarian regimes under which they further support authoritarianism. Moreover, it has analyzed the role of political parties in public mobilization as well as the variances in their organizational structures, mobilization and institutional potentials, and popular bases. The thesis has adopted the "semi-structured interviews, as a qualitative interpretive methodology, with the parties' leaders, chief members, and cadres (medium level and grassroots)". It also employs the authoritarian resilience theory for conducting this research and the comparative historical institutional approach while examining the authoritarian resilience theory to account for the failure of Egyptian political parties in democracy promotion. Keywords: Pre- and Post-Uprising Political Parties / Resilient Authoritarianism / Democratic Transformation / Semi-Structured Interview / Institutionalizing Authoritarianism / Ahzab Cartooniyah (Cardboard Parties) / Mobilization and Institutional Potentials / Popular Bases / Grassroots 3 Acknowledgements 4 Acknowledgements I would like to express my deep gratitude to Dr. Nadine Sika for her constant help, wise suggestions, detailed comments, and inspiring remarks. I have profited immensely from the chance to discuss with her various issues in Political Science. Her sound criticisms of my faults have not only contributed to the general organization of the present thesis but also helped it appear in a better form than it would otherwise have. Her amazingly quick response to my appeal for expert guidance and advice has impressed me. Her own academic contribution has always been of paramount importance to the development of my way of thinking throughout my academic career. Indeed, I have been privileged to benefit by her scholarship. Her thoughtful and resourceful comments as well as her discerning questions have brought about the final draft of this thesis in its final shape. Her meticulous reading of this work has made me reconsider many issues in the field. I would like to thank Mom, Dad, My Brother, and all my family for bearing with me with good-humored patience during nights of hard work. Thank You Table of Contents 5 Abstract 2-3 Acknowledgements 4-5 Chapter One 9-34 1.1 Introduction 10 1.2 Research Questions 12 1.3 Research Hypotheses 13 1.4 Literature Review 14 1.5 The Emergence of Parties in Egypt 23 1.6 The January 25th Uprising; An Assessment 26 1.7 Methodological Approaches 27 1.8 Analytical Framework 31 1.9 Thesis Organization 31 1.9.1 Chapter One (Introduction and Literature Review) 31 1.9.2 Chapter Two (Roles of Political Parties in Egyptian 32 Politics): 1.9.3 Islamist Parties in Post-January 25th Egypt 33 1.9.4 Chapter Four (Post-January 25th Uprising Political Parties) 33 1.9.5 Fieldwork, Findings, and Recommendations 34 Chapter Two: Roles of Political Parties in Egyptian Politics 35-62 2.1 Introduction 36 2.2 Traditional Role of Parties 40 2.3 Categories of Parties 41 2.4 Cooptation of Parties 44 2.5 Egypt's Political Parties as a Case Study 45 2.6 Political Parties under Nasser's Regime 47 2.7 Political Parties in Sadat's Rule 48 2.8 Political Parties under Mubarak's Authoritarian Regime 52 2.9 The Post-January 25th, 2011 Uprising Political Parties 57 2.10 Concluding Remarks 60 Chapter Three: Islamist Parties in Post January 25th Egypt 63-95 3.1 Introduction 64 6 3.2 A Historical Perspective on the Secret Activities of the Muslim 68 Brotherhood 3.3 Cooptation and Resilience of Authoritarianism 74 3.4 The November 15th / December 7th Parliamentary Elections and the 78 Brotherhood's Striking Victory versus the 2010 Humble Harvest 3.5 The Brotherhood's Far-Reaching Impact on the Post-Uprisings Period 79 3.6 The SCAF-Brotherhood Relationship 81 3.7 Al-Nour (The Light Party) and the Brotherhood 83 3.8 Quasi-Party Religious Groups 84 3.9 Strong Egypt Party as a Case Study 87 3.10 Popular Hopes Thwarted 90 3.11 Opportunity Seized; the Emergence of Religious Doctrine-Based 91 Parties 3.12 Assessing the Experience of Parties with Religious References in 93 Post-January 25th Uprising Egypt 3.13 Conclusion 93 Chapter Four: Islamist Parties in Post January 25th Egypt 96-128 4.1 Introduction 97 4.2 Cancellation of the Political Parties Affairs Committee 101 4.3 Founding Political Parties at Short Written Notification 102 4.4 Legalizing the Foundation of Islamist Political Parties 103 4.5 Egyptian Political Parties with a Continuum 105 4.6 The Wave of Post-Uprising Newly Founded Political Parties Activists 106 or Decors!? 4.6.1 Great Expectations between Fulfillment and Disappointment 109 4.6.2 An Opportunity not Taken 111 4.6.3 Reasons for the Failure 115 4.6.4 A Rising Dominant Party: Mostaqbal Watan (Nation's Future 121 Party) as an Exemplar 4.7 Concluding Remarks 124 Chapter Five: Conclusion 129-152 Appendices 153 7 Appendix One: Egyptian Political Parties in Post-Uprising Egypt 154-156 Appendix Two: Structured Interview Guide Questions 157-160 Appendix Three Structured Interview Guide Questions (Translated 161-164 into Arabic; Translation mine) Bibliography 165-180 8 Chapter One Introduction and Literature Review Chapter One 9 Introduction and Literature Review 1.1 Introduction In theory, the role of political parties in authoritarian regimes is of immense importance, as they enrich political life with activities, services, and democratic practices whether in the executive office or in the opposition seats. They organize citizens into active circles, select candidates to run for parliamentary, presidential, and other elections, suggest new policies, and take part in authority and government. Moreover, political parties, whether poorly established or institutionalized, may consolidate democracies. Even when public opinion loses confidence in these parties they are still able to support the regimes. However, in authoritarian regimes, the role of political parties is disputed; indeed, the role of political parties is highly contested as in some regimes they can help boost democratic processes, while in others they can institutionalize authoritarianism. The "Egyptian political street no longer trusts political parties which, according to the majority of citizens, have lost their credibility as their main concern has been to, entrench, legalize, and institutionalize dictatorial, autocratic and authoritarian regime rather than boost and consolidate democratic transformation. In Mostaqbal Watan (Nation's Future Party) we are trying to win the confidence of the grassroots by keeping our promises and by being committed to our platform which is already bound by nationalist interests rather than by any foreign agendas" (Interview, June 20, 2018). In other words, political parties can entrench, fortify, and cement authoritarianism, or pave the way for democratization. Eyadat (2015, p. 160) spotlights the extent to which academic scholarship on the role of political parties in the Arab world is "underdeveloped in comparison to analyses focusing on the role of political Islam or on authoritarian resilience". However, it should be remembered that 10 mobilization of the grassroots in the post-Arab uprisings era is far from institutionalized political practices. That is to say, Egyptian political parties have played a humble role in the transition process, if any. That is to say, it is popular participation that conducted transition in post-Uprising Egypt. "Although the number of established political parties has exceeded one hundred after the Uprising, finding a party to join has become a difficult task to undertake due to their unconvincing platforms or to the fact that they are just Ahzab Waraqiyah or Cartooniyah (Paper or Cardboard Parties)" (Personal communication, April 24, 2018). Thus, as said by a current Parliament member for Modern Egypt Party, "the majority of the parties established in post-Uprising Egypt are not popular at all because they have failed at creating contacts at either the inter- or intra-party level. Moreover, the deputations and delegations needed as an official requirement for founding political parties are bought directly from citizens in need. So, these parties are no more than Ahzab Cartooniyah (Cardboard Parties) which fail to even manage their own internal affairs; they cannot call for democratization while they fail to democratize from within" (Interview, March 19, 2018). Spotlighting their marginal role, Cavatorta and Elananza (2008, p. 561) have maintained that established political parties in the MENA and the Arab World are remarkably weak under authoritarian regimes. Although there are effective and operative multi-party systems in such liberalized dictatorships as Morocco and Jordan, legal political parties are often so paralyzed and futile that they can never stand a fair comparison to the existing authoritarian regimes and cannot, therefore, hinder or oppose their autocratic and dictatorial practices. This is so true that even the so-called official opposition parties support and boost authoritarianism rather than challenge or knock it.