Egypt: the National Democratic Party at the Heart of the Succession Process
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Engaged in a process of economic reform, Egypt is preparing President Mubarak's succession. The President is setting up a system in favor of his son, who is seen as his heir. But the 'young guard' of the National Democratic Party (NDP), led by Gamal Mubarak, does not have the same vision of politics as the older generation. The vote-catching practices ”the NDPs essential purpose and the basis of the regime at the time of Welfare State” are confronted with the logic of free market economy. Although a relative cohesion is, for the moment, imposed by Hosni Mubarak, the conflicts are manifest.Sophie Pommier, Former project Leader to the French Secrétariat général de la défense nationale (SGDN) and to the French ministry of Foreign Affairs (Direction Afrique du Nord-Moyen-Orient, Centre d'analyse et de prévision), is a Specialist in the Middle East. She is the author of many articles, in particular on the Palestinian issue and Egypt. She has published Jerusalem: division with the division? (Paris, Michalon, 1995).