The April 6 Youth Movement announced on Friday, April 18, that it is exploring steps to transform into a political party, in a bid to return to Egypt's political scene after years of dormancy since the 2011 revolution.
The announcement came during a symposium at the Egyptian Social Democratic Party headquarters, titled “April 6: Between Past and Future.” Attendees included party president Farid Zahran, April 6 founder Ahmed Maher, human rights lawyer Khaled Ali, and several activists from the movement.
"In recent days, we have initiated discussions on transitioning to party-based political work," said movement member Ramy El-Sayed. "We are currently redrawing the movement's roadmap and exploring the formation of a political party that represents us despite financial, procedural, and security challenges."
Khaled Ali agreed that the movement needed to reevaluate its current role. "We must discuss and reflect calmly on how to revive this organization," he said. "The movement still has supporters and a public base."
Ali added that it is necessary to "revive the cause through any legitimate channel," stressing the importance of converting the group into a political party.
"Living off the movement's past alone is no longer tenable," he added.
Founded in 2008 by a group of young activists, April 6 aimed to change Egypt's political, economic, and social conditions, according to its declared objectives then. It played a significant role in the January 25 revolution and June 30 upheaval but has since receded from public life, especially following the arrests of many of its leaders and members.
El-Sayed said the group is also holding discussions about their position on the upcoming parliamentary elections, noting that participation will depend on whether the current regime allows for meaningful opposition representation in the next parliament.
Parliamentary elections are scheduled for late 2025, approximately 60 days before the current House of Representatives' term expires in January 2026, in accordance with Article 106 of the constitution.
Movement founder Ahmed Maher noted that April 6 was the first political group in Egypt to use social media to mobilize street action. "We were keen to keep our political messaging simple and accessible," he said. "Our focus was on students and youth, addressing issues like education and prices through memes and images, which helped us reach the public."
For his part, Egyptian Social Democratic Party president Farid Zahran said the movement had laid the groundwork for modern political organizing. "April 6 became a model for others, especially in its use of digital tools," he said. "Even under pressure after the January 25 revolution, the group remained committed to building a modern civil state and paid a high price for that commitment."
Among those still imprisoned is former spokesperson Mohamed Adel, currently serving a four-year sentence issued in September 2023 by the Aga Court for Appellate Misdemeanors in Mansoura.
He was convicted of "spreading false news on social media," following nine years of arbitrary detention over repeated, fabricated charges across multiple cases.
