Democratic Front Party elects founder as chairman

Osama El-Ghazali Harb, the newly elected head of the Democratic Front Party, promises reform and a return of former party members Renowned politician Osama El-Ghazali Harb was elected head of the liberal-leaning Democratic Front Party Friday, beating his rival Abdel-Meguid El-Mehelmy with 104 votes to four. Following his victory, Harb, who will be filling the post of former chief Said Kamel, promised that restructuring the party from within will be his top priority. He also vowed that whoever has withdrawn from the party would return to it. The Democratic Front Party was established in 2007 by both Harb, who served as its chairman at the time, and legal expert Yehia El-Gamal. The party adopts a liberal orientation, calling for a civil state and a free — if regulated — market. Harb, who was a member of the notorious Policies Committee of the now-defunct National Democratic Party (NDP) of Hosni Mubarak for four years until he resigned in 2006, stirred controversy during the 2012 presidential elections when he endorsed Mubarak era Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq in the runoffs. Notably, Harb's Democratic Front Party supported the 25 January uprising since its beginning, issuing a statement 2 February demanding Mubarak's departure. From Ahramonline