During a meeting with young journalists April 15, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi reportedly said he approves of the idea of a “Support Egypt” political party, referring to the pro-government parliamentary coalition with the same name. He had been asked his opinion on establishing a political party, and his answer has led to comparisons with the regime of former President Hosni Mubarak, who headed the now-defunct National Democratic Party (NDP) and against whom the people revolted five years ago.
Sisi’s answer was not definitive as to whether he would back such a party or lead it sometime in the future, raising questions about whether he hopes to establish a political party that will have his back politically in the coming period and about who the leaders of such a party would be — especially considering that his popular support is beginning to wane.
