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| Egyptian assembly expected to approve draft constitution | Egyptian assembly expected to approve draft constitution |
| (30 days later) | |
| The constituent assembly tasked with drafting Egypt's post-revolution constitution was expected to pass its draft document on Thursday as the country continued to reel from a presidential decree that gave the Muslim Brotherhood's Mohamed Morsi extraordinary powers. | The constituent assembly tasked with drafting Egypt's post-revolution constitution was expected to pass its draft document on Thursday as the country continued to reel from a presidential decree that gave the Muslim Brotherhood's Mohamed Morsi extraordinary powers. |
| The contentious assembly, plagued with walkouts from minority groups and liberal voices opposed to the Islamist domination of the constitution, soldiered on regardless with the absent members replaced and voting commencing on the document article by article. | The contentious assembly, plagued with walkouts from minority groups and liberal voices opposed to the Islamist domination of the constitution, soldiered on regardless with the absent members replaced and voting commencing on the document article by article. |
| The draft has come under criticism for its ambiguous language on human rights, minority rights and freedom of expression, as well as cementing the principles of sharia law as the basis for legislature, an article that existed in Egypt's previous constitution but that has now been elaborated on with more detail. It also protects army privileges that revolutionary forces have said should be rescinded, including the ability to try civilians in military courts. | The draft has come under criticism for its ambiguous language on human rights, minority rights and freedom of expression, as well as cementing the principles of sharia law as the basis for legislature, an article that existed in Egypt's previous constitution but that has now been elaborated on with more detail. It also protects army privileges that revolutionary forces have said should be rescinded, including the ability to try civilians in military courts. |
| Criticisms have centred on the document not being a consensus-based draft that represents all sectors of Egyptian society. | Criticisms have centred on the document not being a consensus-based draft that represents all sectors of Egyptian society. |
| "The Muslim Brotherhood can succeed in passing this constitution despite the opposition but in so doing they are likely to poison the country's political atmosphere for years to come and my assumption is that the constitution if passed will not survive beyond Brotherhood rule," said the Cairo-based fellow at the European Council for Foreign Relations Elijah Zarwan. | "The Muslim Brotherhood can succeed in passing this constitution despite the opposition but in so doing they are likely to poison the country's political atmosphere for years to come and my assumption is that the constitution if passed will not survive beyond Brotherhood rule," said the Cairo-based fellow at the European Council for Foreign Relations Elijah Zarwan. |
| Egypt has been plunged into a constitutional crisis since a self-issued decree by Morsi gave him sweeping powers and immunity from judicial challenges. The decree also granted the constituent assembly immunity from legal challenges, which were already under way and expected to be decided in December. | Egypt has been plunged into a constitutional crisis since a self-issued decree by Morsi gave him sweeping powers and immunity from judicial challenges. The decree also granted the constituent assembly immunity from legal challenges, which were already under way and expected to be decided in December. |
| According to the decree, Morsi's extraordinary powers will remain in effect until a constitution is passed and a parliament is elected, and while the decree gave the assembly a two-month extension on its work, the decision to finalise and vote on the document within two days has led to criticism that the job is being rushed to temper the outcry over Morsi's decree. | According to the decree, Morsi's extraordinary powers will remain in effect until a constitution is passed and a parliament is elected, and while the decree gave the assembly a two-month extension on its work, the decision to finalise and vote on the document within two days has led to criticism that the job is being rushed to temper the outcry over Morsi's decree. |
| Morsi himself was due to address the nation later in the day, calling for unity and support behind his decree, which he insists is merely a temporary measure to ensure that the constituent assembly can continue its work without threat of dissolution by the Egyptian courts. | Morsi himself was due to address the nation later in the day, calling for unity and support behind his decree, which he insists is merely a temporary measure to ensure that the constituent assembly can continue its work without threat of dissolution by the Egyptian courts. |
| Once the assembly approves the document it is to be put to a popular referendum. If it is rejected by a popular vote it will be returned to the same assembly for redrafting, and Morsi will keep his powers. And that might be part of Morsi's tactics according to Zarwan, who said that people might be more willing to accept the constitution in order to put an end to the decree. "For a lot of people, they will say let's just get on with it." | Once the assembly approves the document it is to be put to a popular referendum. If it is rejected by a popular vote it will be returned to the same assembly for redrafting, and Morsi will keep his powers. And that might be part of Morsi's tactics according to Zarwan, who said that people might be more willing to accept the constitution in order to put an end to the decree. "For a lot of people, they will say let's just get on with it." |
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