EgyptFeatures/Interviews

Parliament is not my ambition, I seek to become prime minister: Mostaqbal Watan Party leader

Mohamed Badran, leader of the Mostaqbal Watan Party, said in an interview with Al-Masry Al-Youm that his party seeks to rule Egypt within a few years and sweep the largest number of parliamentary seats in Egypt’s history.
 
Some call Badran the “Miracle Kid” because he is only 25. “Others older than me have failed,” he said, commentating on his youth.
 
Regarding certain businessmen financing his party, he said there is nothing wrong with it. “LE100,000 a month means nothing to businessmen like Ahmed Abu Hashima or Mansour Amer,” he said.
 
He said parliament is not his ambition. “I seek to become prime minister,” he said, accusing Prime Minister Sherif Ismail of being unable to uphold the Constitution.
 
Q: Who is Mohamed Badran?
 
A: I was president of the Banha University Student Union in 2010. In 2011, I was the first president of the Federation of Student Unions elected by acclamation. In 2013, I was elected again for three years. I was able to thwart the efforts of the Muslim Brotherhood to recruit students. 
 
I was also the vice chairman of the Constitutional Committee’s drafting committee that included a large number of public figures.
 
Then came the idea of the party in 2013, which started with four of us and ended with 250,000 members. Organization within the party is our most powerful tool. 
 
In other words, I am the result of seven years of hard work.
 
Q: What about the party?
 
A: It was formed to defend the rights of the youth. Without the youth no country will take a single step forward. We now have 30 individual seats in parliament and six seats in the For the Love of Egypt list.
 
Q: When did the party’s relationship with the presidency begin?
 
A: It started with interim President Adly Mansour when he invited 50 youths every week to listen to their views.
 
Q: How come you were chosen to stand next to the president on the yacht at the opening of the new Suez Canal?
 
A: I was not alone. We were 15 young men and women representing different communities, just like the media, the schools, the Nubians and the people of Sinai. It does warrant so much attention.
 
Q: Some call you the “Miracle Kid”. What do you think of this?
 
A: Others older than me have failed. My party won 30 seats in parliament just two years after its establishment.
 
Q: What is the party’s ideology that made you win 30 seats?
 
A: Our young members have succeeded in converting the revolution from slogans, demonstrations and Molotov cocktails into hard work. We seek to rule Egypt within a few years and win the largest number of parliamentary seats in the country’s history.
 
We have a decentralization in decision-making and our candidates have a good reputation in the street.
 
Q: But you have fielded old candidates in the elections, haven’t you?
 
A: No party has only old or only young members. Our way of thinking is young. We combine the enthusiasm of the young and the experience of the old.
 
Q: How do you choose your candidates?
 
A: From student unions or from the Youth Parliament. These are places that prepare people well for political activity.
 
Q: Were some of your candidates members of the dissolved National Democratic Party?
 
A: We work from down up and not the other way round. The grassroots of the party in the villages and cities choose their candidates. Our criteria is that any candidate must have rendered a concrete service for the people. Also, not all the members of the National Democratic Party were corrupt. Prime Minister Ibrahim Mehleb, for example, was a member.
 
Q: What about the For the Love of Egypt list?
 
A: We have eight candidates in it. 
 
Q: How do you think your party will do in the second round of the elections?
 
A: We are fielding 90 candidates. I expect to win another 40 seats to bring the total to 70 seats.
 
Q: What is your relationship with other political parties and forces?
 
A: We respect them all. The Free Egyptians Party, for example, was an honest contender in the elections. They have good thoughts and visions. But it is premature to talk about coalitions.
 
Q: How did you do all this in just two years?
 
A: Our experience is a case study. The most important thing is to handle the media wisely because TV can breed vanity. We knew when to speak and when not.
 
Q: Who finances the party?
 
A: Businessmen like Ahmed Abu Hashima, Mansour Amer, Kamel Abu Ali and Hani Abu Rida. We also take donations from big families like the Maghrabi family in Qalyubiya, the Qorashi family in Assiut, the Ghoneimi family in Alexandria, the Al-Ashraf family in Qena and the Hares family in the Red Sea governorate. What are 100,000 pounds a month for rich people like them?
 
Q: Do they interfere in decisions?
 
A: Never. This is a condition that we made.
 
Q: Other parties are financed by businessmen but have not seen as much success as your party. Why?
 
A: Because we spend our money wisely.
 
Q: How much in donations do you have in the bank?
 
A: Not a dime. We do not save money. We spend it on our ongoing activities.
 
Q: Do you agree that financing political activities is linked to achieving personal interests?
 
A: The personal interest of our donors is political stability.
 
Q: How will the country advance? 
 
A: With education. 
 
Q: How do you see the future of the Parliament?
 
A: I do not think it will last for a year. Five whole constituencies were excluded from the run-offs. The Independence Current has threatened to withdraw, which left the High Elections Committee perplexed. Add to this the elections law itself.
 
Q: Why did you not complain to the president?
 
A: I am sure he knows.
 
Q: How do you assess the general situation today?
 
A: Egypt is going steadily. We are completing the roadmap. But we need a stronger government and stronger political parties. Also, the local councils must fight the rampant corruption.
 
I want to know on what basis are the ministers chosen. Ibrahim Mehleb was better than Sherif Ismail in terms of fieldwork, strategies and response to complaints. Ismail is unable to apply the articles of the Constitution. The presidency is responsible for its choices.
 
Q: What about the Muslim Brotherhood?
 
A: It is finished. It was a terrorist organization loathed at home and abroad. Maybe the Brotherhood youth should be remolded. This is up to state institutions, research centers, cultural centers and sports clubs.
 
 
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
 

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