The Muslim Brotherhood, seen by many as Egypt’s most organized political movement following Mubarak’s ouster, announced Saturday it plans to contest up to half of the country’s parliamentary seats in elections this September.

Leaders of the new Freedom and Justice party previously had indicated they would compete for no more than 30 percent of the parliamentary seats. They maintain the group will not use legislative power to promote the Brotherhood’s religious interests. –ARK

AFP:

The party, headed by Brotherhood politburo member Mohammed al-Mursi, will be “independent from the Brotherhood but will coordinate with it,” he said.

Mursi, who had run the Brotherhood’s previous parliamentary campaigns, said the party was not “theocratic.”

“It is not an Islamist party in the old understanding; it is not theocratic. It is a civil party.”

Egypt’s constitution bans parties based on religion, class or regionalism.

The Brotherhood has sought to allay fears that an Islamist parliamentary majority might emerge from the polls and said it would be willing to cooperate with secular groups in the September election.

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