CAIRO — Every now and then, activists and politicians raise the idea of starting a secular party in Egypt. But faced with controversy, they quickly reconsider their proposals due to political unrest and security concerns in the country.
Such efforts date back to the era of former President Hosni Mubarak, stirring controversy over whether a secular party would violate the successive Egyptian constitutions and whether it impugns religious beliefs. However, a current attempt may be the most important to date. Supporters claim they have been collecting signatures to launch the Egyptian Secular Party, but say they are facing wide criticism in the media.