the party has gradually distanced itself from president abdel fattah el-sisi, and sadat briefly ran in the 2018 egyptian presidential election, though he withdrew. sadat criticized the pro-sisi "alashan tbneeha" (to build it) campaign on constitutional grounds for allowing government employees to publicly support the campaign. supporters of his own campaign, "benhab al-sadat" (we love al-sadat), have been harassed by the government.