In a dramatic U-turn, Egypt’s Islamist President Mohamed Morsi on Sunday annulled a controversial decree that had granted him Pharaoh-like powers, even as he rejected opposition demands to delay next week’s referendum on a new constitution.
In a major sign of compromise, Morsi revoked the controversial decree that had granted him sweeping powers, but decided that the referendum on the draft constitution would go ahead as planned on 15 December.
President Morsi’s dramatic U-turn came after a ‘national dialogue’ held between political leaders which continued after late midnight.
The constitutional referendum will be held on its previously specified date of 15 December and the constitutional declaration issued by President Morsi on 22 November has been largely cancelled, Mohamed Selim al-Awa, an Islamist politician and adviser to Morsi, announced on Sunday.
The new constitutional declaration however will be immune from judicial appeal. According to the new declaration, if a majority of Egyptians vote against the draft constitution, then a new Constituent Assembly will be elected in three months, and will have six months to draft a new one.
The cancellation of the decree, which put Morsi’s decisions above judicial oversight, was not retroactive, meaning any decisions he made since its announcement still stand.
The move comes after a week of protests against the referendum and constitutional declaration that lead to violent clashes between his supporters and opponents that killed at least seven people and injured nearly 700 others.
The new declaration, Awa said, would not remove judicial oversight of Morsi’s decisions, but the President is still tasked with protecting the revolution and its causes, and his appointment of new Prosecutor General Talaat Ibrahim Abdallah will stand.
The present political turmoil began after President Morsi granted himself absolute powers through the 22 November decree that had put his decisions beyond judicial review, a move which gained him titles like ‘dictator’ and ‘Pharaoh’.
The new declaration also reaffirmed the retrial of figures responsible for protester deaths in the uprising against former President Hosni Mubarak and called for investigations into the deaths of those who were killed in last week’s clashes in front of the presidential palace.
In the original declaration, Morsi had stated that Mubarak regime figures would be retried for the deaths of protesters nearly two years ago in the 25 January uprising.
Egypt’s Constituent Assembly on 30 November in a marathon session approved a draft constitution imposing Islamic values, a move opposed by Liberals as an attempt to restrict freedom of speech and religion in the country.
According to Egyptian state TV, the articles passed, stipulated that Islam is the religion of the state, and the principles of Sharia, or Islamic law, are the ‘main source of legislation’.
Morsi then decided to hold a referendum on the controversial draft constitution on 15 December.
Egyptian F-16 fighter jets made low passes over the centre of Cairo on Sunday in a rare manoeuvre by the air force over the capital amid high political tension.
The military was not immediately available for comment.
At the end of October, jets made similar passes as part of a surprise military exercise. On Saturday, the army released a statement on political unrest that has killed seven people in the capital, urging supporters and opponents of Islamist President Mohamed Morsi to open talks.
In a major sign of compromise, Morsi revoked the controversial decree that had granted him sweeping powers, but decided that the referendum on the draft constitution would go ahead as planned on 15 December.
President Morsi’s dramatic U-turn came after a ‘national dialogue’ held between political leaders which continued after late midnight.
The constitutional referendum will be held on its previously specified date of 15 December and the constitutional declaration issued by President Morsi on 22 November has been largely cancelled, Mohamed Selim al-Awa, an Islamist politician and adviser to Morsi, announced on Sunday.
The new constitutional declaration however will be immune from judicial appeal. According to the new declaration, if a majority of Egyptians vote against the draft constitution, then a new Constituent Assembly will be elected in three months, and will have six months to draft a new one.
The cancellation of the decree, which put Morsi’s decisions above judicial oversight, was not retroactive, meaning any decisions he made since its announcement still stand.
The move comes after a week of protests against the referendum and constitutional declaration that lead to violent clashes between his supporters and opponents that killed at least seven people and injured nearly 700 others.
The new declaration, Awa said, would not remove judicial oversight of Morsi’s decisions, but the President is still tasked with protecting the revolution and its causes, and his appointment of new Prosecutor General Talaat Ibrahim Abdallah will stand.
The present political turmoil began after President Morsi granted himself absolute powers through the 22 November decree that had put his decisions beyond judicial review, a move which gained him titles like ‘dictator’ and ‘Pharaoh’.
The new declaration also reaffirmed the retrial of figures responsible for protester deaths in the uprising against former President Hosni Mubarak and called for investigations into the deaths of those who were killed in last week’s clashes in front of the presidential palace.
In the original declaration, Morsi had stated that Mubarak regime figures would be retried for the deaths of protesters nearly two years ago in the 25 January uprising.
Egypt’s Constituent Assembly on 30 November in a marathon session approved a draft constitution imposing Islamic values, a move opposed by Liberals as an attempt to restrict freedom of speech and religion in the country.
According to Egyptian state TV, the articles passed, stipulated that Islam is the religion of the state, and the principles of Sharia, or Islamic law, are the ‘main source of legislation’.
Morsi then decided to hold a referendum on the controversial draft constitution on 15 December.
Egyptian F-16 fighter jets made low passes over the centre of Cairo on Sunday in a rare manoeuvre by the air force over the capital amid high political tension.
The military was not immediately available for comment.
At the end of October, jets made similar passes as part of a surprise military exercise. On Saturday, the army released a statement on political unrest that has killed seven people in the capital, urging supporters and opponents of Islamist President Mohamed Morsi to open talks.