The leadership of Egypt's ruling National Democratic Party, including Gamal Mubarak, the son of President Hosni Mubarak has resigned, state television said.
Al Arabiya television is reporting that Mr Mubarak himself has also resigned as head of the ruling party although this has yet to be confirmed.
A party official said that if Mr Mubarak had resigned from the party it would not affect his position as president. "These are two different positions," the official said.
In its report, state television named the new secretary-general as Hossam Badrawi, seen as a member of the liberal wing of the party.
"(The resignation) is very important politically because this party was exploiting the state for the interests of the party, and that has caused a lot of criticism," said analyst
Diaa Rashwan, adding that it had fuelled anger over corruption.
Protesters who have rocked Egypt's political system have complained about corruption, poverty and political repression that left power in the hands of Mubarak
and his allies.
"Practically, it is important because the people using violence were being mobilised
by the party ... and now they have been stripped of this protection and they won't feel
secure that they have a party behind them," Rashwan said.
The outgoing leaders include secretary general Safwat el-Sherif, 77, who has been
powerful in the Egyptian establishment since the 1960s and is a pillar of the old
guard. Sherif is also speaker of the upper house of parliament.
Without a place in the leadership, Gamal Mubarak would no longer qualify as the
party's presidential candidate under the existing constitution.
The outgoing leadership make up the five-man core committee in the party. The other members are Zakaria Azmi, Mubarak's chief of staff, NDP spokesman Ali el-Din Hilal and steel magnate Ahmed Ezz, who had already resigned a few days after the
Outbreak of the popular uprising against Mr Mubarak.
The party was one of the main targets of the uprising and its headquarters near Tahrir Square was gutted by fire during the protests.