CAIRO, June 7 (UPI) -- The Muslim Brotherhood can conduct political activity openly in Egypt after Cairo said it approved the establishment of its political party.
The Muslim Brotherhood was banned by ousted President Hosni Mubarak. Its candidates won 20 percent of the seats in the Egyptian Parliament by running as independent candidates in 2005. Mubarak's ruling National Democracy Party last year, however, swept the group away in elections widely criticized by the international community.
An Egyptian political affairs committee gave approval for the Muslim Brotherhood's establishment of its Freedom and Justice Party, paving the way for the group to conduct political affairs openly, Egypt's Middle East News Agency reports.
Muslim Brotherhood Chairman Mohamed Badie said early this year that membership would be open to all Egyptians who are ready to accept its policies. The group ran last year under the slogan "Islam is the Solution."
The Muslim Brotherhood added that it wasn't opposed to women or members of minority religious groups serving in Cabinet positions but ruled out their role as head of state.
The group had said it has no intention of fielding a candidate for president of Egypt in this year's elections.
