Archive for political forces – Page 2

Six more Constituent Assembly members resign after Morsy decree

by admin
November 25th, 2012

 

Six more members of the Constituent Assembly withdrew from the body in the two days since President Mohamed Morsy issued a new constitutional declaration Thursday, bringing the total number of resigned original and reserve members to 29, according to the state-run Sawt al-Shaab television station.

On Sunday, Mohamed Anwar al-Sadat, president of the centrist Reform and Development Party, said he would freeze his assembly membership until the body met the demands of political forces opposed to the new constitutional decree.

Of the assembly’s 100 total members, 22 original appointees have resigned, along with seven reserve members who do not sit in the body. All of the 29 come from either secular political forces or represent Christian churches.

The assembly met Saturday with less than half of its members in attendance.

In response to the recent wave of resignations, Constituent Assembly President Hossam al-Gheriany, a prominent former judicial figure that observers say is close to the Morsy-aligned Muslim Brotherhood, urged the members to return and finish what they had started. He reminded the resigned members that they had contributed to drafting the constitution from the beginning and agreed on many of its articles.

In Sunday’s assembly session, which was also sparsely attended, Gheriany said the assembly — selected by the People’s Assembly and Shura Council — is completely independent.

“The government has not interfered with our work since we started,” he said.

In response to the Morsy declaration’s extension of the assembly’s work for two more months, Gheriany said, “We do not need the extra time, as we will finish by the declared deadline.”

“The turmoil that is taking place now will end once we have a new constitution and an elected Parliament,” he added.

But such an outcome seemed increasingly unlikely given the recent resignations. Three representatives of the liberal Ghad al-Thawra Party withdrew on Saturday, citing their exclusion from the assembly’s drafting subcommittee in addition to Morsy’s declaration.
Mohamed Abdel Alim Dawoud, an influential figure in the the liberal Wafd Party, and Farouq Guweida, a widely respected poet and intellectual, also withdrew on Saturday.

On 17 November, Bishop Paula of Tanta’s Coptic Orthodox Church, Bishop Yohana Qalta, the assistant to the Catholic patriarch of Egypt, and Safwat al-Bayadi, the head of the Anglican Communion in Egypt, all withdrew from the assembly. The Wafd Party withdrew four of its representatives on the same day.

The next day, April 6 Youth Movement leader Ahmed Maher, former Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa, famous TV commentator Hamdy Qandil and former coordinator of the Freedom and Justice Party-led Democratic Alliance Wahid Abdel Meguid withdrew. They were followed by representatives of the Journalists Syndicate head council and the representative of the Farmers Syndicate, Mohamed Abdel Qader, on 20 November.

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Morsy says decrees are temporary, calls for talks

by admin
November 25th, 2012

The Egyptian presidency said on Sunday it was committed to engaging "all political forces" to reach common ground on the constitution and stressed the "temporary nature" of a decree expanding President Mohamed Morsy's powers.

"This declaration is deemed necessary in order to hold accountable those responsible for the corruption as well as other crimes during the previous regime and the transitional period," the president’s office said in a statement.

Facing a storm of protest from judges and political opponents who accuse Morsy of turning into a new dictator, the presidency said the decree was "not meant to concentrate powers," but to devolve them. It aimed to avoid the politicization of the judiciary, the statement said.

It also aimed to "abort any attempt" to dissolve either the body writing Egypt's constitution or the upper house of Parliament, both of them dominated by Islamists allied to Morsy, the statement added.

"The presidency stresses its firm commitment to engage all political forces in the inclusive democratic dialogue to reach a common ground and bridge the gap in order to reach a national consensus on the constitution," it added.

Egypt's highest judicial authority said a decree issued by President Mohamed Morsy and which shields his decisions from judicial review must only be applied to decisions or laws relating to "sovereign matters."

The Supreme Judicial Council in a statement read on state TV also called on judges to keep courts and prosecution offices functioning after the influential Judges' Club called on Saturday for a countrywide strike in protest at Morsy's decree.

Egyptian Justice Minister Ahmed Mekky has started mediation efforts to try to end a crisis between Egypt's executive and judicial authorities, state TV reported on Sunday.

It was the first public sign of a government attempt to resolve a crisis ignited by President Mohamed Morsy's decision to expand his powers and protect his decisions from judicial review.

Mekky, who has said he has "some reservations" about Morsy's decree, convened a meeting at the Supreme Court headquarters in Cairo, state TV reported, without giving further details.

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Cabinet members divided over Morsy declaration

by admin
November 25th, 2012

Two members of the President Mohamed Morsy’s appointed government on Sunday disagreed over the constitutional declaration he issued at the end of last week, symbolizing the split among prominent political forces over the president’s attempt to grant himself extensive authority.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Mohamed Mahsoub agreed with the declaration, accusing Morsy’s opponents of “a prior decision to work toward overthrowing him.”

“The protests preceded [Morsy’s] decisions, followed [his] decisions and will resume,” Minister Mohamed Mahsoub wrote on his Twitter account.

However, Justice Minister Ahmed Mekky said he had concerns with the document, and that Morsy should have entered into a dialogue with other political forces over the declaration before issuing it, according to Al-Masry Al-Youm.

According to the declaration issued Thursday, Morsy’s decisions cannot be challenged until a new constitution is drafted. It also prevents the Constituent Assembly from being dissolved and extends its work two more months.

Various political forces have rejected the declaration, staging a sit-in in Tahrir Square and calling for a million-strong protest on Tuesday. The Muslim Brotherhood, of which Morsy is a former leader, supports the declaration and has announced it will demonstrate in Abdeen Square on the same day.

In an interview with privately owned satellite channel Al-Hayat on Saturday, Mekky implied that while some hold him responsible for the constitutional declaration, Morsy did not in fact consult him about it.

Mekky added that he would propose amendments to strip Morsy of immunity to legal challenges over his decisions. He said he hoped political forces in the opposition would agree to this concession, accusing them of meeting only to reject things.

He also cast doubt on the efficacy of the Judges Club general assembly’s recommendation that courts suspend their work, urging judges not to follow the suggestion as it “hinders justice.”

Mahsoub, the parliamentary affairs minister, not only disagreed with the opposition, but also supported the declaration. He said political forces opposed to Morsy’s decision had already decided, before the declaration was issued, that they wanted a clause in the draft constitution mandating a new presidential election. More than one-quarter of the Constituent Assembly, mainly non-Islamists and Coptic Christians, have resigned from the body in protest of what they say is Islamist domination.

Mahsoub also openly worried that a dispute could break out again, even if the Constituent Assembly were dissolved and the presidential election was held again. There are no guarantees, he said, that protesters would be satisfied with these concessions, citing their “fluctuating intentions.”

Mekky was also concerned, fearing the impact of the current dispute on the future of the state. He said no “independent judiciary” exists without a state with an elected parliament and executive authority to implement court decisions.

The crisis over Morsy’s declaration is the “demolition of the Egyptian state,” he warned.

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Revolutionary forces, Brothers quarrel in Alexandria

by admin
November 23rd, 2012

 

Muslim Brotherhood members and revolutionary activists began shouting matches after the Friday prayer in front of the Al-Qa’ed Ibrahim Mosque in Alexandria.

Political forces there have staged marches throughout the day to protest President Mohamed Morsy’s new constitutional declaration, which granted him unprecedented powers, gave immunity to the Constituent Assembly and the Shura Council, and made all of Morsy’s decisions since he took office legally unchallengeable.

 

These anti-Morsy marches coincided with pro-Morsy marches organized by the Muslim Brotherhood. When the two groups passed by each other, they began verbally sparring.

Thursday night, presidential spokesperson Yasser Ali announced the constitutional declaration, saying it was an attempt to end governmental corruption.

Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm

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Hundreds gathering in Tahrir to protest constitutional declaration

by admin
November 23rd, 2012

 

Hundreds of protesters flocked to Tahrir Square on Friday morning to take part in the mass protest against the constitutional declaration issued by President Mohamed Morsy late Thursday night.

Protesters blocked traffic and marched across the square. They held banners reading “Welcome revolutionaries” and chanted slogans such as, “Down with the Muslim Brotherhood.”

The entrances of Tahrir Square were closed with the placement of barriers at the Egyptian Museum, the American University in Cairo, Qasr al-Nil Street and Qasr al-Ainy Street, which was already blocked due to clashes taking place there between other protesters and security forces.

Two tents were set up in the middle of the square. Several street vendors were present.

A march has started from Mostafa Mahmoud Street in Mohandiseen to join protesters in Tahrir. The march is led by reform advocate Mohamed ElBaradei and head of Popular Current Hamdeen Sabbahi. Other marches from Dokki and Sayeda Zeinab will join protesters in Tahrir later today.

Arrangements began early morning on Friday for the protest, which was called for by several political forces during a meeting at the Wafd Party headquarters late on Thursday following Morsy’s announcement.

Political forces including the Wafd Party, Tagammu Party, Constitution Party, Democratic Egyptian Party, Free Egyptians Party and Popular Trend Party, as well as the April 6 Youth Movement, the Revolutionary Youth Union, the Free Egyptian Movement, the No to Military Trials group and the Bring them for Trial campaign have announced participation in the protest.

The demands of the protesters are many, including the annulment of the newly-declared constitutional declaration that grants the president unprecedented powers, the dissolution of the Constituent Assembly, holding a national dialogue to reach consensus over standards and mechanisms of a new assembly that would include all political forces, issuing a legislation that guarantees justice for the martyrs, the dismissal of Prime Minister Hesham Qandil, forming a new revolutionary government and restructuring the Interior Ministry.

Meanwhile, Islamist forces including the Muslim Brotherhood, Jama’a al-Islamiya, and Salafi Dawah as well the Freedom and Justice Party, the Noor Party, Asala and Wasat have refused to take part in the protest in Tahrir, and confirm their support of the new constitutional declaration.

Edited translation from MENA

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Constituent Assembly to discuss disputed articles on Tuesday

by admin
October 29th, 2012

 

Constituent Assembly members said they would meet on Tuesday to discuss controversial articles in the draft constitution, said Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) and Nour Party representatives on Monday.

Younis Makhyoun, representative of the Nour Party, said his party would call for greater regulation of public freedoms, and for a clarification of Article 2, which states that the principles of Sharia are the main source of legislation.

FJP representative Farid Ismail said the assembly has already agreed on eight out of the 12 articles in contention. “We will end the dispute over the rest so that the constitution will reflect all political forces, not just a particular party,” he said.

Presidential advisor Ayman al-Sayyad called on political forces to prioritize national interests and set personal interests aside. “If the constitution is approved in a referendum, it would not be by more than 60 percent anyway,” he said.

He added that some political forces reject the draft constitution because it is secular, others because it is Islamic and does not establish a modern civil state, and still others because they were not involved in its drafting.

Nour Party Vice President Sayed Mostafa said his party would mobilize the people against the constitution if it violates Sharia.

Salafi leader Mohamed Moftah accused the Muslim Brotherhood of refusing to apply Sharia in the constitution to appease the liberals, out of fear that secular parties would ask the Brotherhood to disclose its funding sources.

“This draft allows the Christians to build churches, the Jews to build synagogues and the Shias to build mosques,” Moftah warned.

Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm

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Presidency says Constituent Assembly to continue drafting constitution

by admin
October 24th, 2012

Political forces agreed during a meeting with President Mohamed Morsy Wednesday that the constitution drafting process should be concluded rapidly, and that Egyptians will have the final say in approving it, said presidential spokesperson Yasser Ali.

Ali said Morsy held a national dialogue with 65 representatives of political parties, trade unions, and universities on Wednesday at the presidential palace to discuss the future of the country.

Ali’s statements imply that the current Constituent Assembly will go on with the drafting process regardless of concerns expressed by the forces that boycotted today’s meeting.

According to the privately-run news website Albedaiah, more than a dozen political parties and forces refused to accept the invitation of the president, citing what they called a lack of certainty that the meeting was serious in light of Morsy preserving the current Constituent Assembly.

The parties that boycotted the meeting included the liberal Constitution Party, the Egyptian Social Democratic Party, the Arab Democratic Nasserist Party, the leftist Karama Party, the Free Egyptians Party, the Socialist Popular Alliance Party, the centrist Adl Party, and the Popular Current.

“We do not like the position of boycotting, but we respect it,” Ali said. “We respect all positions.”

“Difference in opinion is healthy,” Ali added. "This is the democracy we sought and that the Egyptians struggled for.”

Ali said that all parties were invited to the meeting, as Morsy is keen on informing the political forces of all internal and external political developments.

He also said that the political forces agreed in the meeting on a need for a constitution at this stage in order to achieve stability and attract investments.

The president also discussed differences over the Constituent Assembly, including six suggestions presented by the Wasat Party, and called for dialogue on the contentious articles in the new constitution.

“The president does not wish to impose the Constituent Assembly,” Ali said. “He will not form another assembly unless this one is dissolved by the judiciary.”

He pointed to Morsy’s assertion that he is working toward quickly finishing the interim period with the drafting of the constitution then holding parliamentary elections.

“He also told [meeting participants] that combating corruption is his top priority,” Ali said, adding that some suggested purging state institutions that operate using the logic of the former regime. Others stressed the need to listen to the demands of the workers at this stage.

“The president will meet again with the political forces after the Eid holidays,” he said. “He will discuss the law on parliamentary elections in order to reach consensus over it.”

The National Association for Change called for suspending the current Constituent Assembly until the Supreme Constitutional Court rules on the law that governed its formation. It said in a statement that the first draft of the constitution does not reflect popular consensus or the spirit of the 25 January revolution.

Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm

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Political forces call for interim constitution, Brotherhood rejects

by admin
October 23rd, 2012

Political parties and some Islamist and liberal figures on Tuesday called for an interim constitution to resolve the issue of the Constituent Assembly, which faces lawsuits demanding its disbandment based on allegations of Islamist domination.

The call came from former presidential candidates Sheikh Hazem Salah Abu Ismail and Hesham al-Bastawisi, and the Egyptian Social Democratic Party.

The Muslim Brotherhood and the Freedom and Justice Party, however, opposed the idea and said it is too late, as the assembly is about to finish its work. The FJP called on the people to rally around the current draft of the constitution.

The Egyptian Social Democratic Party said in a statement that meetings to resolve the problem have all failed, while Abu Ismail said that different political forces, including Islamists, reject many articles of the constitution.

“The assembly should take the views of the people and incorporate them in a permanent constitution,” he said. “This may well take a year.”

Bastawisi suggested that the interim constitution comprise 10 to 15 articles and be in effect for four years, during which Parliament would be elected for only one session. “The political forces would again differ, even if a new assembly is formed,” he said.

Younis Makhyoun, a representative of the Salafi Nour Party in the Constituent Assembly, said his party is considering the proposal for an interim constitution.

Former Salafi MP Mohamed al-Kurdy supported Abu Ismail’s suggestion. “This will muzzle the liberals and the secularists who are no more than 0.5 percent of the Egyptian people,” he said. “The rest choose Islamic Sharia.”

Former presidential candidate Hamdeen Sabbahi said the assembly should be dissolved before any national dialogue takes place.

“The head of the Freedom and Justice Party did not respond to my initiative to reunite the political forces on this issue,” he added.

Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm

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Ahead of court ruling, Brotherhood invites dialogue on new constitution

by admin
October 22nd, 2012

The Muslim Brotherhood has invited political forces to a conversation on the country’s future constitution, probably to preempt a court ruling that might dissolve the Constituent Assembly.

The State Council Administrative Court is expected on Tuesday to rule on the legality of the constitution-drafting body. Forty-eight lawsuits have been filed to demand the dissolution of the assembly, which was formed in June. Plaintiffs say the formation violated the March 2011 Constitutional Declaration by including MPs as members, and failed to represent all social groups.

Protests last Friday called for a constitution-writing process that is free from the domination of a specific political group.

Mohamed al-Beltagy, Brotherhood leader and chairman of the assembly’s Proposals Committee, said attempts to lead the assembly to the same fate as the dissolved People’s Assembly are doomed to fail.

He said in a press statement that the constitution-drafting panel’s work over the past four months refute allegations that the constitution will be dominated by a specific movement.

“Neutral commentators from within and outside the assembly proved those allegations were untrue,” Beltagy said. “Evidence to that is the draft the assembly issued recently.”

Beltagy called upon all political forces to visit the assembly and discuss additions and omissions to the document.

Constituent Assembly Secretary General Amr Darrag, a member of the Muslim Brotherhood’s Freedom and Justice Party, said the first draft, issued last Wednesday, was intentionally incomplete to give people a chance to get acquainted with its controversial aspects and to achieve maximum popular participation in the process.

“We are seeking a state of social consensus before the constitution is put forward for a referendum,” Darrag added, stressing that criticism and feedback on the first draft are all being considered.

Darrag denounced what he described as the media’s continual attack on the assembly, criticizing allegations that Islamists are dominating the panel. He said the constitution seeks to ensure people’s rights instead of categorizing them politically.

Meanwhile, Nasser al-Hafy, a member of the FJP legal committee, said the party and the Brotherhood have prepared for all possible outcomes of the court case. He said that if the court dissolves the assembly, they will appeal the verdict.

He added that President Mohamed Morsy could form a new Constituent Assembly if appeals to save the current panel fail. Hafy predicted that any new incarnation would include the majority of current members as well as some additional representatives of other political forces. He stressed, however, that a new assembly would be required to build on the current draft.

Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm

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Brotherhood seeks dialogue over Friday clashes

by admin
October 15th, 2012

The Muslim Brotherhood decided Monday to form a committee of its members and Freedom and Justice Party members to hold meetings with various political forces over last Friday’s clashes between Brotherhood supporters and opposition protesters.  

Mostafa al-Ghonemy, a member of the Muslim Brotherhood Guidance Bureau, said that the group hopes dialogue with other forces would spark reunion after the tension caused by the violence.

He added that the Brotherhood “reaches their hands out to everyone to rebuild Egypt under a democratically elected president” during this difficult time when the interests of the country must be above all else.  

Ghonemy accused businessmen “affiliated with the former regime” of masterminding the violence in Tahrir Square. He alleged that they hired a group of “thugs” to go to the square and attack both pro- and anti- Muslim Brotherhood protesters while wearing FJP t-shirts to deceive citizens and encourage assault charges against the Brotherhood demonstrators.  

He stressed that the Muslim Brotherhood could have imposed its will over the square if it had wanted, claiming that there were approximately 50,000 Brotherhood members in the square and only 4,000 supporters of other political forces and hired thugs.

Ghonemy blamed the opposition forces, calling them “yesterday’s partners in the revolution,” of supporting the public prosecutor’s claim that there is no legal basis for President Mohamed Morsy to dismiss him from office.

“The public prosecutor is directly responsible for the acquittal of the Battle of the Camel defendants due to lack of evidence," he said.

Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm

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