Former presidential candidate Ahmed Shafiq announced that his new political party, the Egyptian National Movement, will compete in the upcoming parliamentary elections and will be a strong competitor.

“It would not just be a guest of honor in political life, but would seek to rule,” Shafiq said.

Shafiq told Al-Masry Al-Youm from his residence in the United Arab Emirates that the party would restore Egypt’s rights, and “will be joined by millions who supported me in the presidential race.”

He stated that the party’s policies would be based on preserving the civil state and the Egyptian identity, both of which are being weakened.

Party adviser Ibrahim Darwish said that he joined the party because it supports a civil state and “will compete against the Muslim Brotherhood, which wants to own Egypt like [it is] a supermarket.”

Novelist Gamal al-Ghitani denied rumors that he had joined the party, saying that he sympathized with Shafiq on a human level because of smear campaigns he has faced since losing the presidential election, but will not join his party.

Shafiq left Egypt a day after the presidential election results were announced in June.

Later, he was referred to criminal court, along with former President Hosni Mubarak’s two sons Alaa and Gamal, on charges of squandering state funds.

Shafiq served as commander of the Air Force then as minister of civil aviation before he was appointed by Mubarak as his last prime minister during the 25 January revolution.

Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm