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Egyptians Overseas Vote on Disputed Charter Egypt’s Opposition Urges Vote Against Disputed Charter
(about 3 hours later)
CAIRO — As political maneuvering continued in Cairo over last-minute proposals to broaden support for a referendum on a contentious draft constitution, Egyptian officials outside the country pressed ahead with the ballot, opening embassies to overseas voters potentially numbering hundreds of thousands. CAIRO — Egypt’s main opposition coalition urged followers on Wednesday to vote against an Islamist-backed draft constitution in a divisive referendum scheduled for Saturday and vowed to fight the charter even if it is approved.
 “The National Salvation Front with the Egyptian people will continue to struggle to drop this draft of the constitution,” Hamdeen Sabahi, a leader of the coalition and a former left-nationalist presidential candidate told a news conference. “The referendum is not the end of our journey.”
At the same time, however, the coalition laid down conditions to its participation in the vote including full judicial supervision, independent and international monitors and adequate security. If those conditions are not met on Saturday morning, the group said, it would issue a last-minute call for a boycott.
The statement followed a prolonged internal debate within the opposition over whether to boycott the referendum, an idea it had seemed to endorse on Sunday by dismissing anything that might legitimize the “supposed referendum.”
But its position on Wednesday — even as expatriate Egyptians began voting on the referendum at embassies abroad — signaled that the secular opposition groups are prepared to work within the parameters of Egypt’s new democracy rather than reject its results or question its legitimacy under adverse circumstances.
Separately, the minister of defense canceled a planned gathering of social, political and government leaders that had been described as a display of national unity to repair the near-total rupture in the civic discourse that has taken place during the constitutional debate. The ministry said it was canceling the event because of inadequate participation.
As the political maneuvering continued, Egyptian officials outside the country pressed ahead with the ballot among overseas voters potentially numbering hundreds of thousands.
While the number of expatriate Egyptian voters is small compared to its population of around 83 million, news reports said the ballot could yield hints about the balance of opinion toward the Islamist-based draft.While the number of expatriate Egyptian voters is small compared to its population of around 83 million, news reports said the ballot could yield hints about the balance of opinion toward the Islamist-based draft.
According to the International Organization for Migration, around 2.7 million Egyptians live abroad, about 70 percent of them in Arab countries, where support for the draft is likely to be stronger, with the remaining 30 percent in Europe, Australia and North America, including Coptic migrants, thought to lean more toward the secular opposition.According to the International Organization for Migration, around 2.7 million Egyptians live abroad, about 70 percent of them in Arab countries, where support for the draft is likely to be stronger, with the remaining 30 percent in Europe, Australia and North America, including Coptic migrants, thought to lean more toward the secular opposition.
According to the Web site of the Al Ahram state newspaper, quoting official figures, only around 300,000 expatriates voted in the most recent presidential runoff vote. The significance of the expatriate ballot thus may lie more in the fact that the authorities pressed ahead with it despite opposition at home.According to the Web site of the Al Ahram state newspaper, quoting official figures, only around 300,000 expatriates voted in the most recent presidential runoff vote. The significance of the expatriate ballot thus may lie more in the fact that the authorities pressed ahead with it despite opposition at home.
At the Egyptian Embassy in London, an official speaking in return for anonymity said there had been a slow start to voting on Wednesday among the several thousand Egyptian expatriates in Britain. The referendum in Egypt itself is set for December 15 and 22. At the Egyptian Embassy in London, an official speaking in return for anonymity said there had been a slow start to voting on Wednesday among the several thousand Egyptian expatriates in Britain. The referendum in Egypt itself is set for Dec. 15 and 22.
The overseas ballot came as President Mohamed Morsi’s advisers struggled to work with a panel of politicians and intellectuals to work out last-minute proposals to enhance support for the draft. The political developments came against a backdrop of street protests by both supporters and foes of President Mohamed Morsi.
Just outside Mr. Morsi’s office, thousands of his opponents staged a seventh night of demonstrations. Many of those against the proposed charter chanted for the downfall of Mr. Morsi, Egypt’s first democratically elected president. Just outside his office on Tuesday, thousands of his opponents staged a seventh night of demonstrations. Many of those against the proposed charter chanted for the downfall of Mr. Morsi, Egypt’s first democratically elected president.
Blocks away, crowds of Islamists denounced the secular opposition’s leaders as murderers for encouraging protests last week that led to deadly clashes with members of the Muslim Brotherhood.Blocks away, crowds of Islamists denounced the secular opposition’s leaders as murderers for encouraging protests last week that led to deadly clashes with members of the Muslim Brotherhood.
The huge crowds of rivals underscored the animosity and distrust that have all but shut down political dialogue here just as Egypt is poised to complete its promised transition to a constitutional democracy.The huge crowds of rivals underscored the animosity and distrust that have all but shut down political dialogue here just as Egypt is poised to complete its promised transition to a constitutional democracy.
Khaled al-Qazzaz, a spokesman for the president, said a “national dialogue” committee convened by Mr. Morsi was continuing to meet to try to come up with measures that might bridge the gap between the Islamists and their opponents over the proposed charter.Khaled al-Qazzaz, a spokesman for the president, said a “national dialogue” committee convened by Mr. Morsi was continuing to meet to try to come up with measures that might bridge the gap between the Islamists and their opponents over the proposed charter.
Mr. Qazzaz said the panel was discussing measures that the president could announce now but that would take effect after the referendum. “If a segment of society has concerns about some articles of the constitution, how are we going to bring them together?” he said, declining to provide more detail.Mr. Qazzaz said the panel was discussing measures that the president could announce now but that would take effect after the referendum. “If a segment of society has concerns about some articles of the constitution, how are we going to bring them together?” he said, declining to provide more detail.
Separately, Egypt’s defense minister, Gen. Abdul Fattah el-Sisi, issued a formal invitation to Mr. Morsi, the leaders of all political factions and officials from across the institutions of government for what the invitation called “a meeting for humanitarian communication and national coherence in the love of Egypt.”
The invitation raised alarms that General Sisi intended to play a role in the constitutional debate and perhaps have the military resume the explicitly political role it had in managing the transition before Mr. Morsi took over. But a military spokesman later said in a statement that politics and policy were off the agenda.
Mr. Qazzaz called the event a display of unity at a military-run facility and said Mr. Morsi would attend. It is a “social event to show that society is in coherence, that we are one big family,” he said.
Liberals complain that the charter does not do enough to prevent a future Islamist majority from limiting individual freedoms or women’s rights.Liberals complain that the charter does not do enough to prevent a future Islamist majority from limiting individual freedoms or women’s rights.
But the Islamists’ political strength may only partly account for the expected approval of the draft constitution in Saturday’s scheduled referendum. (Egyptians abroad begin voting on Wednesday.) The charter also promises stability after two years of the country’s chaotic transition. But the Islamists’ political strength may only partly account for the expected approval of the draft constitution in Saturday’s scheduled referendum. The charter also promises stability after two years of the country’s chaotic transition.
The secular opposition’s main coalition postponed for a third day on Tuesday a formal announcement of its decision on whether to advocate a boycott of the referendum or to urge Egyptians to vote no. A statement on Sunday had appeared to declare a boycott. On Tuesday, the chief of the largest judicial professional association, Ahmed al-Zend, announced that 90 percent of its members would refuse to monitor the polls. Judicial supervision of elections is required by Egyptian tradition and law, but the judges said they would boycott to protest the charter and Mr. Morsi’s decree, since withdrawn, putting the president above judicial review.
People involved said the coalition was struggling to overcome internal disagreements. “Every hour there is a change,” an aide to one opposition leader said Tuesday evening.
Also on Tuesday, the chief of the largest judicial professional association, Ahmed al-Zend, announced that 90 percent of its members would refuse to monitor the polls. Judicial supervision of elections is required by Egyptian tradition and law, but the judges said they would boycott to protest the charter and Mr. Morsi’s decree, since withdrawn, putting the president above judicial review.
Mr. Zend was a loyalist of former President Hosni Mubarak who is now more or less openly at war with Egypt’s new Islamist leaders. Some doubted that he spoke for all of his members, and advisers to Mr. Morsi insist that they have the cooperation of enough judges.Mr. Zend was a loyalist of former President Hosni Mubarak who is now more or less openly at war with Egypt’s new Islamist leaders. Some doubted that he spoke for all of his members, and advisers to Mr. Morsi insist that they have the cooperation of enough judges.
On Tuesday, Mr. Morsi’s government also put off until next month the signing of a badly needed $4.8 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund intended to help prevent an economic collapse. Officials said they wanted more time to discuss the related economic reform package with the public.On Tuesday, Mr. Morsi’s government also put off until next month the signing of a badly needed $4.8 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund intended to help prevent an economic collapse. Officials said they wanted more time to discuss the related economic reform package with the public.
“The delay will have some economic impact, but we are discussing necessary measures” to address that until the loan can be finalized, Finance Minister Mumtaz al-Said told Reuters by telephone. “I am optimistic,” he added.“The delay will have some economic impact, but we are discussing necessary measures” to address that until the loan can be finalized, Finance Minister Mumtaz al-Said told Reuters by telephone. “I am optimistic,” he added.

David D. Kirkpatrick and Kareem Fahim reported from Cairo, and Alan Cowell from London. Mayy El Sheikh contributed reporting from Cairo.

David D. Kirkpatrick and Kareem Fahim reported from Cairo, and Alan Cowell from London. Mayy El Sheikh contributed reporting from Cairo.