Constituent Assembly at odds over Shari’a
Constituent Assembly committee agreed on articles outlining a democracy based on ‘Shura’ with ‘principles of Shari’a’
Latest in Tag: Constituent Assembly Highlight
Latest in Tag: Constituent Assembly
Administrative court to move forward on CA dissolution case
The court has reversed its initial postponement and will deliver a verdict next week
Amid tensions court postpones flashpoint cases
The Administrative Judiciary Court of the State Council postponed a slew of cases which included calls for reversals of the dissolution of the People’s Assembly, a reversal of President Mohamed Morsy’s decision to reinstate it, and new demands for the dissolution of Shura Council and the Constituent Assembly. The court will resume its proceedings on …
Bakkar: Legally, Parliament and Constituent Assembly still up and running
Nader Bakkar, spokesperson for the Salafi Al-Nour Party, speaks to DNE.
PA speaker denies Constituent Assembly draft law talks
As discussions on criteria to choose Constituent Assembly members continue, Saad El-Katatny says there is no draft law regulating for that.
MB criticizes court’s ruling against Constituent Assembly formation
By Heba Hesham CAIRO: The Administrative Court of the State Council issued a ruling Tuesday invalidating parliament’s decision regarding the makeup of the Constituent Assembly tasked with drafting Egypt’s new constitution. The court accepted the case filed by a number of legal experts and public figures against PA Speaker, as well as halting the implementation of …
Court suspends constitutional panel
By AP CAIRO: An Egyptian court on Tuesday suspended a 100-member panel selected by lawmakers from the Islamist-dominated parliament and tasked with drafting the country’s new constitution. The ruling was a blow to the Islamists, who have catapulted into the center of Egypt’s political stage since the ouster 14 months ago of longtime authoritarian leader …
Tug of war over Constituent Assembly escalates
By Heba Hesham CAIRO: Head of the Journalists’ Syndicate, Mamdouh El-Wali said Saturday that the syndicate adheres to its decision to withdraw from the Constituent Assembly, describing the withdrawal as a national duty. According to the official Middle East News Agency (MENA), the syndicate will only back-peddle on its decision if Al-Azhar and the Church and …
Dispute over Constituent Assembly reaches stalemate
By Heba Hesham CAIRO: While members of the Constituent Assembly tasked with drafting the constitution believe abiding by Al-Azhar’s document would solve the controversy over the assembly’s make-up, members who have withdrawn, however, say it is not enough. Key members of the 100-member assembly said in their second meeting Wednesday that the only way out of …
Church withdraws from Constituent Assembly, SCAF asked to step in
By Heba Fahmy CAIRO: The controversy over the formation of the Constituent Assembly escalated Sunday as the Church announced its withdrawal from the 100-member panel. “The church listened to the Coptic community and proved that it is close to the people in its first major decision after the passing of Pope Shenouda III,” said Hani Ramsis, …
Liberals back to square one with Islamists over constitution “compromise”
By Heba Hesham CAIRO: Liberal groups said on Friday that they were back to square one in a struggle with Islamists over the drafting of a new constitution a day after most parties agreed on a “compromise.” Some 14 parties had agreed on Thursday in a meeting with the ruling military council to boost their representation …
Azhar withdraws from constitution panel
By AFP CAIRO: Al-Azhar, Sunni Islam’s highest authority, said on Thursday it was withdrawing from a disputed panel dominated by the Muslim Brotherhood to draft a new constitution, following the example of liberals. Al-Azhar said in a statement that it was under-represented in the constituent assembly which the Islamist-majority parliament appointed to draft the new …
Protesters march to parliament to denounce Constituent Assembly
By Heba Hesham CAIRO: Hundreds marched Wednesday from Tahrir Square to the nearby parliament building to protest against the make up of the Constituent Assembly as it held its first meeting. Activists, political parties and revolutionary movements protested to declare their rejection of the formation of the panel tasked with writing Egypt’s new constitution, saying it …
PA Speaker elected head of Constituent Assembly
By Heba Fahmy CARIO: Speaker of Parliament Saad El-Katatny was elected Wednesday as head of the 100-member Constituent Assembly which convened for its first meeting Wednesday despite the absence of 26 members. El-Katatny said that drafting the constitution is more important than “narrow political gains,” emphasizing the need for national consensus over the constitution. Only 74 …
Political parties to meet SCAF again Thursday regarding Constituent Assembly
By Safaa Abdoun CAIRO: The ruling military council is scheduled to meet again with political parties to discuss the ongoing crisis about the make up of the Constituent Assembly after a Tuesday meeting failed to bring immediate solutions. Party heads who attended the meeting on Tuesday were to discuss the different recommendations within their parties. Forty-eight …
Protesters at State Council support appeal against Constituent Assembly
By Heba Hesham CAIRO: Dozens of political activists and movements organized a protest Tuesday morning in front of the State Council to express their rejection of the Islamist-dominated Constituent Assembly during the first session of an appeal against the panel at the Administrative Court. The assembly, comprised of 50 MPs and 50 members from outside parliament, …
SCAF meets political parties over Constituent Assembly standoff
By Safaa Abdoun CAIRO: The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) held a meeting with 19 political powers to discuss the crisis over the controversial, Islamist-dominated formation of the Constituent Assembly. Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi and Chief of Staff Samy Enan met members of political parties including the Freedom and Justice Party (FJP), the Salafi …
Secular forces slam Constituent Assembly, debate SCAF intervention
By Mai Shams El-Din CAIRO: Secular forces slammed Tuesday the Islamist-dominated Constituent Assembly, pushing to continue the struggle for a more inclusive assembly that represents all Egyptians. The Free Egyptians, the Social Democrats, the Popular Alliance Socialist Party and many independents complained about the control of the Muslim Brotherhood and the Salafis who, they claim, aim …
Walkouts from Constituent Assembly put PA in the hot seat
By Mai Shams El-Din CAIRO: Four members of the Constituent Assembly elected to draft Egypt’s new constitution declared Monday their withdrawal from the Islamist-dominated panel, putting the total number of walkouts at 12 so far. Amr Hamzawy, liberal lawmaker and researcher, Mona Makram Ebeid, member of the Social Democratic Party and political science professor, Sameh Ashour, …
Egypt’s Islamists tighten their grip on power
By Hamza Hendawi / AP CAIRO: Egypt’s newly empowered Islamists have tightened their grip, giving themselves a majority on a 100-member panel tasked with drafting a constitution that will define the shape of the government in the post-Hosni Mubarak era. Led by the Muslim Brotherhood to victory in parliamentary elections, Islamists now have their eyes set …
Islamists dominate Constituent Assembly, some elected members walk out in protest
By Heba Hesham CAIRO: Politicians denounced the make-up of the 100-member Constituent Assembly, elected by parliamentarians on Saturday, saying it was dominated by Islamists as expected. The assembly, comprised of 50 MPs and 50 members from outside parliament, is tasked with drafting the new constitution. It will hold its first meeting on March 28. Some elected …
Protesters rally against Islamists dominating Constituent Assembly
By Heba Fahmy CAIRO: About 200 protested outside Egypt’s High Court on Friday against the Islamists’ domination of the Constituent Assembly tasked with drafting the new constitution. Protesters chanted slogans against the Muslim Brotherhood, whose political arm the Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) has a majority in the People’s Assembly and Shoura Council, followed by the …
Parties make nominations for Constituent Assembly elections
By Heba Fahmy CAIRO: Political parties and MPs announced their nominations for the Constituent Assembly members, ahead of a vote set for the joint meeting of both houses of parliament on Saturday. The new constitution will replace the 1971 constitution, which was suspended on Feb. 11, following the 18-day revolt that toppled Hosni Mubarak. Fifty percent …
NGO calls for annulling parliament legitimacy after seizing half of constituent Assembly
By Heba Hesham CAIRO: The Lawyers’ Union for Legal Studies and Democracy called upon political parties, civil society organizations, syndicates and individuals to withdraw legitimacy from both houses of the parliament and the Constituent Assembly that will draft the constitution, claiming they are unconstitutional. The People’s Assembly and the Shoura Council decided that 50 percent of …
Parliament to approve final criteria of Constituent Assembly Saturday
By Heba Hesham CAIRO: Elected MPs of both houses of parliament are to hold a joint meeting Saturday to agree on the final criteria for electing members of the Constituent Assembly that would draft the constitution in accordance with the 353 proposals received so far. By March 8, the parliament’s general secretariat had gathered all the …
Egypt’s different segments seek representation in Constituent Assembly
By Heba Hesham CAIRO: The Egyptian society’s different segments are seeking to secure a place in the Constituent Assembly that would draft the new constitution amid heated debates among political parties on who would constitute the majority of its members. By Thursday, the People’s Assembly’s general secretariat had gathered all the proposals made by MPs, NGOs, …
Joint parliamentary session failed to reach concrete decisions, say analysts
By Heba Hesham CAIRO: Analysts criticized Saturday’s joint session of the People’s Assembly and Shoura Council for failing to reach concrete decisions as political powers remain divided over selecting the members of the constituent assembly. The joint session Saturday was meant to discuss criteria for selecting members of the constituent assembly, who will then draft Egypt’s …
Political powers divided on electing constituent assembly
By Heba Hesham CAIRO: Political powers are divided on the criteria for electing members of the constituent assembly that would draft the constitution, as the two houses of parliament are scheduled to hold their first joint session on Saturday. A proposal by the Muslim Brotherhood’s Freedom and Justice Party (FJP), which holds around 47 percent of …
Parliament to meet to elect constitution body March 3
By Dina Zayed / Reuters CAIRO: Egypt’s military rulers invited parliament’s two houses to convene on Saturday to elect an assembly tasked with writing the country’s first constitution since the overthrow of Hosni Mubarak. A tug-of-war has already begun over the shape of the future document that will define the balance of power between the army-backed …