Egyptian National Movement Party re-elects Shafiq as president

In a general meeting on Saturday, the Egyptian National Movement Party announced the re-election of former presidential candidate and Mubarak’s last Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq for the presidency of the party.

Shafiq was unable to attend the meeting, which was held in the Al-Azhar conference hall, due to the inclusion of his name on the airport watch list because of an ongoing investigation.

Shafiq joined the meeting via conference call, announcing that he would be handling his responsibilities from the United Arab Emirates, where he has been residing since he lost the presidential elections runoffs in June 2012 to deposed President Mohamed Morsi.

Shafiq said that he would soon return to Egypt.

The former civilian aviation minister was acquitted in December 2013 of charges of taking over land owned by the Air Force Officers Housing Association, along with Gamal and Alaa Mubarak.

However, the prosecution kept Shafiq’s name on the airport watch list as it launched another investigation into the case, pertaining to the take over of other estates belonging to the same association.

Shafiq founded the Egyptian National Movement Party in January 2013. The co-founders include writer Lamees Gaber and former parliamentarian Mohamed Abou Hamed.

The party’s deputy, retired judge Yehia Kadry, has been managing the party's affairs in Shafiq’s absence.

The party is running for parliamentary elections under the umbrella of the Egyptian Front Coalition. The front is the most aligned with the current regime and has recently announced its merger with the list led by Mubarak-era Prime Minister Kamal Ganzoury.