Egypt's ElBaradei unveils new party

CAIRO (AFP) - Leading Egyptian dissident Mohamed ElBaradei on Saturday unveiled a new party he said was aimed at rescuing last year's uprising from a "tragic" transitional period under the ruling military.

The former UN nuclear watchdog chief and Nobel Laureate said the goal of his new Constitution Party was to "to rescue the great January revolution that has diverted from its course."

ElBaradei, who had considered standing in next month's presidential election but ultimately decided against it, called the military-led transitional period since the uprising ousted president Hosni Mubarak in February 2011 "tragic."

"When we undertook the revolution, we did not imagine the situation we are in today, nor the tragic transitional period we are living today," he said at a news conference.

The outspoken dissident and critic of the ruling generals said the economy had deteriorated while the elected parliament was not fully representative of all Egyptians.

He also criticised next month's presidential election, which will be held before a new constitution defining the leader's role is in place.

"For these reasons, and others, we decided the time has come to start organised political work," he said.

"The majority of Egyptian people... undertook this revolution to achieve goals no two people would differ about. To live free in our country, for each Egyptian to have the right to a dignified life," he said.

The military has promised to hand power in June to the winner of the election, mainly a contest between Islamists and Amr Mussa, a front-runner who served as head of the Arab League and is a former Mubarak foreign minister.

The Islamists dominated parliamentary elections held between November and January, but have clashed with the military after it refused to let them form a government.