The Liberal Constitutional Party (, Ḥizb al-aḥrār al-dustūriyyīn) was an Egyptian political party founded in 1922 by a group of politicians who left the larger Wafd Party. While both the Wafd and the Liberal Constitutionalists agreed on Egyptian independence, the latter believed in gradualism and was against violence. The party represented the liberal upper class of Egypt, typically landowners. It was banned, like the other political parties in Egypt, after the coup d'état of 1952.
History During the 1919 Egyptian revolution, a delegation of Egyptian nationaists led by Saad Zaghloul demanded independence from British control, as Egypt had been a protectorate since the World War I. This delegation (Arabic: Wafd) later became the Wafd party. During the years of negotiations between British officials and Egyptian nationalists, Adly Yakan emerged as a moderate voice compared to Zaghloul. Adly's delegation was supported by Lufti al-Sayyid, Abdel Aziz Fahmy and Muhamad Mahmoud. On 16 March 1921, Adly was appointed by the sultan to form a cabinet as prime minister and lead the negotiations. The Unilateral Declaration of Egyptian Independence was declared on 28 February 1922.
The Liberal Constitutional Party was founded on 30 October 1922 during a meeting at the Shepheard's Hotel chaired by Adli Yakan Pasha, and some time later the party launched a newspaper, Al Siyasa (Politics). Adly was elected leader, Muhamad Mahmoud one of his vice presidents. The initial 300 supporters made up a general assembly who elected an administrative board of twenty-six. According to the party statute, the board was to be elected by the assembly every three years, who then elected a president, two vice-presidents a secretary and treasurer.
Although the Wafd Party was nationalist and conservative views, the new party supported the constitution which was approved on 19 April 1923, the secularization of the State, the United Kingdom and also the total unification of Egypt and Sudan. Muhammad Alluba, a supporter of the Palestine cause, served as the general secretary of the party in the 1930s.
Leaders 1922-1924 – Adli Yakan Pasha 1924-1926 – Abdel Aziz Fahmy 1926-1941 – Muhammad Mahmoud Pasha 1941-1942 – Abdel Aziz Fahmy 1943-1952 – Mohammed Hussein Heikal
Electoral history Chamber of Deputies elections ElectionParty leaderSeats+/–Position1923–1924Adly Yakan Pasha 20 2nd1925 20 2nd1926 11 2nd1929Muhammad Mahmoud Pasha 24 2nd1931 5 Boycotted1936 15 2nd1938 62 2nd1942Abdel Aziz Fahmy 73 2nd1945Mohammed Hussein Heikal 71 2nd1950 47 3rd
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