MP Mamdouh Hosny, director of the Industry and Energy Committee and ruling National Democratic Party's (NDP) representative for the Ghirbal district in Alexandria, resigned from the party. A source from within the Federation of Industries also revealed that a number of its members planned to resign from the party. The same source said that Mahmoud Suleiman, the Deputy Chairman of the Chamber of Chemical Industries and the NDP's Economic Committee member in parliament, had also resigned from the party several days ago. According to the source, Chairman of the Federation of Egyptian Industries Galal al-Zorba is being pressured to resign from his NDP post. In a memorandum submitted Wednesday to Speaker of Parliament Fathi Sorour, Hosny said, “In solidarity with the legitimate demands of millions of Egyptians, in solidarity with the Egyptian youth whose blood was shed on Egyptian soil, and in solidarity with the martyrs who were killed while defending the interests of Egypt and its people, I inform you that I have resigned from the NDP, and have become an independent member of parliament.” Meanwhile, al-Zorba, who is also the Chair Business Secretariat in the ruling NDP, said he does not consider resigning as of yet and that he is waiting to see how events unfold before making his decision. Al-Zorba told Al-Masry Al-Youm that working in politics has become “unrewarding” and “discouraging.” “We used to join the party in order to influence economic reform policies which serve the economy, and which help rid industry of cumbersome bureaucracy,” said al-Zorba. “Since the ruling party issues these policies, we had no choice other than to work from within the party,” he said. “We had repeatedly requested the same demands as those of the young people at Tahrir Square as the records show. Investment is the first beneficiary of political stability in Egypt.” When asked about recent condemnation of businessmen, he said, “Each era has its unique circumstances, and there must be a victim, but industrialists must not become victims this time.” Translated from the Arabic Edition.
