Egypt’s opposition landscape is splintering further in the lead-up to parliamentary elections, with the newly formed People’s Right (Haq Al-Nas) coalition announcing its bid to enter the race. The move follows closely on the heels of a separate alliance between the Constitution and Conservatives parties, signaling growing fractures within the broader Civil Democratic Movement.
Ahmed Tantawy, co-founder of the Hope Current, attributed the growing rift within Egypt’s opposition to what he called the “sudden and unjustified withdrawal” of the Constitution and Conservatives parties from a previously finalized and endorsed coalition pact. Tantawy criticized the move as a breach of consensus, warning that it jeopardizes the fragile unity among opposition forces ahead of the parliamentary elections.
Ahmed Tantawy described the People’s Right coalition as the “original core of the Civil Democratic Movement,” in comments to Al Manassa. He noted that the coalition retains all founding member parties, except for the Constitution and Conservative parties, and is now broadening its base by welcoming new leftist allies, signaling a strategic shift toward a more inclusive opposition front.
The newly announced People’s Right coalition brings together a broad spectrum of Egypt’s leftist and progressive forces. It includes the six founding members of the Popular Front for Social Justice—Socialist Egypt Party, Bread and Freedom (under formation), Socialist Popular Alliance, Karama, Egyptian Communist Party, and the National Social Accord Party—as well as newer partners such as the Hope Current (under formation), Revolutionary Socialists, and the Democratic Front Party.
The opposition rift came into sharp focus last Friday with the launch of the Free Path alliance by the Constitution and Conservative parties. Positioning their move as a bid to revitalize Egypt’s stagnant political landscape, the two parties announced plans to contest upcoming parliamentary elections by nominating candidates for individual seats, marking a clear departure from the broader coalition strategy.
Ahmed Tantawy revealed that he had devoted three months to brokering a unified opposition alliance, aiming to present voters with a credible alternative to the current government.
According to Tantawy, both the Conservative and Constitution parties had initially endorsed a joint program, only to abruptly announce the formation of a separate alliance—while the joint elections committee was still in session. “The decision directly contradicted everything we had agreed upon,” he said, adding that the move caught other opposition leaders off guard.
Ahmed Tantawy emphasized that the Hope Current made significant concessions in an effort to maintain opposition unity. These included agreeing to a shared platform and slogan, and strategically pulling its candidates from constituencies where allied parties had stronger prospects.
Tantawy underscored that the coalition’s mission is to offer voters a slate of independent-minded candidates not bound by rigid partisan frameworks, but committed to genuine representation and democratic reform.
Responding to speculation that ideological differences drove the split, Tantawy insisted the dispute was not rooted in doctrine. “The agreement was electoral, not political,” he said, stressing that the arrangement was designed to bridge ideological divides in order to provide a credible alternative to the ruling establishment.
Separately, Mohamed Hassan Khalil of the Socialist Popular Alliance reaffirmed his party’s longstanding opposition to participating in elections under a list-based system, citing broader concerns with Egypt’s electoral framework. Despite this stance, Khalil emphasized that the party’s political program remains aligned with the values of the Civil Democratic Movement. He also dismissed suggestions of internal discord, stressing that each member party retains full autonomy in deciding its electoral strategy.
At the end of last month, the Civil Democratic Movement reported receiving 140 applications from candidates for individual seats.
In a statement obtained by Al Manassa, People’s Right reiterated its decision to participate despite “serious reservations over undemocratic procedures,” while calling for equal representation across constituencies, single-member districts, lower administrative fees, and full transparency in announcing certified results at the polling station level.
According to Article 106 of Egypt’s constitution, parliamentary elections must be held within 60 days prior to the expiration of the current chamber’s term on Jan. 12, 2026, placing the vote by the end of this year.
