{{Infobox political party | country = Egypt | name = Egyptian Popular Current | native_name = التيار الشعبي المصري | logo = | colorcode = {{party color|People's stream of Egypt}} | foundation = 21 September 2012 | founder = [[Hamdeen Sabahi]] | native_name_lang = ar | predecessor = [[Dignity Party (Egypt)|Dignity Party]] | ideology = [[Secularism]]<ref>{{Cite news|title=Egypt's Secular Forces|url=http://egyptelections.carnegieendowment.org/2012/11/19/egypt%E2%80%99s-secular-forces|agency=Carnegie Endowment for International Peace|date=19 November 2012|access-date=12 December 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131229190702/http://egyptelections.carnegieendowment.org/2012/11/19/egypt%E2%80%99s-secular-forces|archive-date=29 December 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref><br>[[Nasserism]]<ref>{{Cite news|title=Egypt's political coalitions and new parties: A guide|url=http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/64/54309/Egypt/Politics-/Egypts-political-coalitions-and-new-partiesA-guid.aspx|agency=Ahram Online|date=1 October 2012|access-date=27 May 2014}}</ref> | headquarters = [[Cairo]] | colours = {{Color box|{{party color|Egyptian Popular Current}}|border=darkgray}} [[Green]] | position = [[Left-wing politics|Left-wing]]<ref>{{Cite news|title=Left-wing outsider to run for Egypt president|url=http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2014/02/leftist-politician-run-egypt-president-20142914424645634.html|agency=Al Jazeera English|date=9 February 2014|access-date=27 May 2014}}</ref> | national = [[Civil Democratic Current]] | slogan = Freedom '''.''' Social Justice '''.''' National Independence<br>{{langx|ar| حرية '''.''' عدالة اجتماعية '''.''' استقلال وطني}} | seats1_title = [[House of Representatives (Egypt)|House of Representatives]] | seats1 = {{Composition bar|0|596|{{party color|Egyptian Popular Current}}}} | seats2_title = [[Senate (Egypt)|Senate]] | seats2 = {{Composition bar|0|300|{{party color|Egyptian Popular Current}}}} | website = http://www.tayarsha3by.com }} The '''Egyptian Popular Current''' ({{lang|ar|التيار الشعبي المصري}} ''{{Transliteration|ar|at-tāyar ash-shāʿībi al-masri}}'') is a [[political movement|movement]] in [[Egypt]], created after the [[2012 Egyptian presidential election|2012 presidential elections]] by former presidential candidate [[Hamdeen Sabahi]].<ref>{{Cite news|title=New liberal coalition plans to pressure Morsy|url=http://www.egyptindependent.com/news/new-liberal-coalition-plans-pressure-morsy|agency=Egypt Independent|date=27 September 2012|access-date=27 May 2014}}</ref> The movement was formed on 21 September 2012.<ref name="ao22Sept">{{Cite news |title=Unity movement launched at mass rally to counter Egypt's Islamists|url=http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/64/53500/Egypt/Politics-/Unity-movement-launched-at-mass-rally-to-counter-E.aspx|agency=Ahram Online|date=22 September 2012|access-date=27 May 2014}}</ref> The movement formed the '''Popular Current Party'''<ref name="cp21sept"/> on 21 September 2014.<ref name="am21sept"/>

==Formation and structure== The formation of the Popular Current movement by [[Nasserism|Nasserist]] politician [[Hamdeen Sabahi]], the third-place candidate during 2012 presidential elections, was announced in late September 2012 during a conference in [[Cairo]]'s Abdeen Square. Its establishment aimed to consolidate and institutionalize Sabahi's unexpected support during the elections.<ref name=AbdallaSWP>{{Cite news|title=Egypt's Revolutionary Youth: From Street Politics to Party Politic|url=http://www.swp-berlin.org/fileadmin/contents/products/comments/2013C11_abn.pdf|agency=German Institute for International and Security Affairs|date=March 2013|access-date=27 May 2014|pages=5–6}}</ref>

The conference was moderated by journalist Hussein Abdel Ghani and featured as guest speakers the prominent journalist [[Hamdi Qandil]], Federation of Independent Trade Unions head [[Kamal Abu Eita]], [[Al Sharqia Governorate|Sharqiyah]] pastor Yoannes Ishak, late president [[Gamal Abdel Nasser]]'s son Abdel Hakim, and public figures from the [[Sinai Peninsula]] and the southern region of [[Nubia]], among other personalities.<ref name="ao22Sept"/> While the Popular Current's members were generally leftists, nationalists and revolutionary youth supportive of Sabahi's adoption of the "[[social justice]]" platform,<ref name="AbdallaSWP"/> Sabahi called for the newly formed party to attract all Egyptians, including the "workers, farmers, craftsmen, fishermen, producers, middle class, Muslims, Copts, Sinai residents, Nubians, country folk, city dwellers, men, women, old and young."<ref name="ao22Sept"/>

The structure of the movement is essentially decentralized. As of 2013, there are two principal bodies that the movement consists of: the 17-member executive bureau and the 60-70-member council of trustees. The former serves as the administrative core of the Popular Current and consists of youth leaders and activists who were either heavily involved in Sabahi's presidential campaign or leading members of left-leaning groupings such as the [[Egyptian Social Democratic Party]] and the Youth for Freedom and Justice. The executive bureau is responsible for coordinating and managing major activities. The council of trustees plays an advisory role and is particularly responsible with advising executive members on certain documents. Its members are largely drawn from contributors to Sabahi's presidential campaign and are primarily specialists in various fields relating to the movement's political platform.<ref name="AbdallaSWP"/>

Members and leaders of other political parties are able to join while still operating with their respective factions. The purpose of this flexibility is to foster the expansion of [[grassroots]] support throughout Egypt's urban and rural areas. Unlike most Egyptian political parties, the Popular Current's stated objectives were intended to reach beyond Egypt's political sphere, encompassing the fields of development, the [[Economy of Egypt|economy]], [[Culture of Egypt|culture]] and [[Culture of Egypt#Sport|sports]]. There was initial debate among the leadership on whether the Popular Current should become a political party or a movement, with the latter option being preferred. However, the lack of financial resources has hindered the geographic reach of the Popular Current. Its members have generally focused on organizing anti-government demonstrations, while neglecting to work on the party's internal organization. According to Nadine Abdallah, the absence of sustainable funding and the lack of internal management has "reduced the Popular Current to a protest movement."<ref name="AbdallaSWP"/>

==Views== The Popular Current's stances are virtually identical to Sabahi's: the achievement of social justice by instituting minimum and maximum wages in the public sector, the guarantee of personal and political freedoms, the establishment of a strong democratic system, the adoption of an independent foreign policy including the re-establishment of Egypt's historical role as a leading regional power and stringent opposition to interference in Egypt's domestic affairs by various world powers.<ref name="AbdallaSWP"/>

==Incidents involving supporters== On 5 December, members of the Popular Current Mohamed Essam and Karam Gergis were murdered in the clashes surrounding [[Heliopolis Palace]] between protestors against the new Constitution and [[Muslim Brotherhood]] members, which attacked the demonstrators with [[Molotov cocktail]]s.<ref>{{cite news|title=Update: Four reported dead in presidential palace clashes|url=http://www.egyptindependent.com/news/update-four-reported-dead-presidential-palace-clashes|publisher=Egypt Independent|date=5 December 2012|access-date=27 May 2014}}</ref> On 4 February 2013, Mohamed el-Gendy, a member of the Popular Current allegedly tortured by the police following his arrest at Tahrir Square on 27 January, died in the Helal hospital due to his grave injuries.<ref>{{cite news|title=Egypt protester dies from alleged police torture|url=http://english.ahram.org.eg/News/63989.aspx|publisher=Ahram Online|date=4 February 2013|access-date=27 May 2014}}</ref>

==Popular Current Party== {{Infobox political party |name=Popular Current Party<ref name=cp21sept>{{Cite news|url=http://thecairopost.com/news/125463/news/popular-current-seeks-to-become-new-political-party-under-youth-leadership|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140923022338/http://thecairopost.com/news/125463/news/popular-current-seeks-to-become-new-political-party-under-youth-leadership|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 23, 2014|title=Popular Current seeks to become new political party under youth leadership|agency=Cairo Post|date=21 September 2014|access-date=21 September 2014}}</ref> |native_name= |logo= |colorcode= |leader= |spokesperson=Ahmed Kamel Al-Beheri<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://thecairopost.com/news/130392/news/try-them-campaign-calls-for-new-mubarak-trial|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141209134518/http://thecairopost.com/news/130392/news/try-them-campaign-calls-for-new-mubarak-trial|url-status=dead|archive-date=December 9, 2014|title='Try them' campaign calls for new Mubarak trial|agency=Cairo Post|date=7 December 2014|access-date=7 December 2014}}</ref> |founded=21 September 2014<ref name=am21sept>{{Cite news|url=http://en.aswatmasriya.com/news/view.aspx?id=5edb166f-1edc-486e-98b6-b5c76cfefab4|title=Sabahi's Popular Current turns into political party|agency=Aswat Masriya|date=21 September 2014|access-date=21 September 2014}}</ref> |dissolved=March 2016<ref name="Karama">{{cite web|url=https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-egypt-politics-sabahy/egyptian-leftist-sabahy-eyes-united-opposition-to-challenge-sisi-idUKKCN0WC1GS|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180131200836/https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-egypt-politics-sabahy/egyptian-leftist-sabahy-eyes-united-opposition-to-challenge-sisi-idUKKCN0WC1GS|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 31, 2018|title=Egyptian leftist Sabahy eyes united opposition to challenge Sisi|publisher=[[Reuters]]|date=10 March 2016}}</ref> |merged=[[Dignity Party (Egypt)|Dignity Party]]<ref name="Karama"/> |headquarters= |newspaper= |ideology= |national=[[Civil Democratic Current]]<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www1.youm7.com/story/2014/9/29/%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AA%D9%8A%D8%A7%D8%B1_%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B4%D8%B9%D8%A8%D9%89_%D9%8A%D9%82%D8%B1%D8%B1_%D8%AE%D9%88%D8%B6_%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%86%D8%AA%D8%AE%D8%A7%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%AA_%D9%81%D8%B1%D8%AF%D9%89_%D9%88%D9%82%D8%A7%D8%A6%D9%85%D8%A9/1886784|title="التيار الشعبى" يقرر خوض الانتخابات "فردى" و"قائمة"|agency=Youm7|date=29 September 2014|access-date=29 September 2014}}</ref> |colors= |website= |country=Egypt}} On 21 September 2014 the movement formed a [[political party]], the Popular Current Party.<ref name=cp21sept/> Sabahi will not lead the party.<ref name=am21sept/> A spokesman of the party, Hossam Moanes, has criticized the [[Egyptian protest law]].<ref name="cp21sept"/> It boycotted the [[2015 Egyptian parliamentary election]]. It merged with the [[Dignity Party (Egypt)|Dignity Party]] in March 2016.<ref name="Karama"/>

==Electoral history==

===Presidential elections=== {| class=wikitable style=text-align:center !Election !Party candidate !Votes !% !Result |- |[[2014 Egyptian presidential election|2014]] | rowspan="5" |[[Hamdeen Sabahi]] |757,511 |3.09% |'''Lost''' {{N}} |}

==See also== *[[Dignity Party (Egypt)]]

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== *[https://www.facebook.com/TayarSha3by/?ref=ts&fref=ts Facebook Page] *[https://web.archive.org/web/20120921073656/http://www.tayarsha3by.com/ Website (Archived)] {{Egyptian political parties}}

[[Category:2012 establishments in Egypt]] [[Category:Arab nationalism in Egypt]] [[Category:Egyptian democracy movements]] [[Category:Nasserist political parties]] [[Category:Nationalist parties in Egypt]] [[Category:Organisations of the Egyptian Crisis (2011–2014)]] [[Category:Organizations established in 2012]] [[Category:Political parties established in 2014]] [[Category:Secularism in Egypt]] [[Category:Social democratic parties in Egypt]]