Egypt: Former IAEA chief launches new political party

Mohamed ElBaradei — who previously stated he would not run for president — says he wants to save country’s revolution

Reform leader Mohamed ElBaradei, the former Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, has launched a new political party that he says aims to unite Egyptians and save the country’s revolution from a messy democratic transition.

The Constitution Party marks a return to public life for ElBaradei, who declared in January that he would not run for president, saying a fair vote would be impossible during a muddled transition period.

ElBaradei said: “We hope through this party to start anew.”

He added Saturday that the party aims to unite the youth groups behind last year’s uprising that toppled Hosni Mubarak and prepare them for a future political role.

The move clearly seeks to provide a counterbalance to the rise of Islamists, who trounced Egypt’s liberals and leftists in the first parliamentary elections since Mubarak’s ouster.