An Egyptian court on April 16 ordered the dissolution of former President Hosni Mubarak’s political party, meeting a demand of the pro-democracy movement whose protests ended his 30-year rule. The disbanding of the National Democratic Party (NDP) was likely to further appease protesters who had called off fresh demonstrations after the military council that now rules Egypt ordered Mubarak detained for questioning about corruption allegations.
The NDP had dominated Egyptian politics since it was founded by Mubarak’s predecessor, Anwar Sadat, in 1978. For many in Egypt, it epitomized the graft and abuse of power that helped ignite the protests which forced Mubarak to quit in February.
“It’s illogical for any instruments of the regime to remain, now that the regime itself has fallen,” the High Administrative Court said in a statement.
The court also ordered the liquidation of NDP assets, with the funds to be returned to the state because, the statement said, “this money is actually the money of the people.”