Sources within the Muslim Brotherhood’s Freedom and Justice Party on Monday said the party intends to nominate Parliament Speaker Saad al-Katatny for the chairmanship of the constituent assembly that will be tasked with writing the new constitution.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, the sources also said the party is considering Shura Council speaker and FJP member Ahmed Fahmy as an assembly member, together with Mahmoud al-Khodairy, chairman of the People’s Assembly’s Legislative Committee, his deputy Sobhi Saleh of the FJP, and Mohamed Tosson, chairman of the Shura Council’s Legislative Committee, also an FJP member.
Wahid Abdel Meguid, general coordinator of the FJP-led Democratic Coalition, said it is logical to nominate Katatny.
“Parliament’s speaker should not be reporting to anyone,” he said, adding that this would not conflict with his original work. He also said that only 40 percent of the assembly members would be members of Parliament.
Hassan al-Bishbishy, an FJP member, said the party would choose the best qualified candidates for the assembly. “They will be experts in different fields,” he explained.
Mohamed Nour, spokesperson for the Salafi Nour Party, said the party is discussing with the FJP articles that would be included in the new constitution pertaining to the form of the state.
“The FJP prefers a mixed parliamentary and presidential system while we prefer a purely parliamentary system,” he said, adding that they are also discussing Article 2, which says Islamic Sharia is the main source of legislation.
Adel Afify, president of the Salafi Asala Party, said he would run for assembly membership. “I have a PhD in law, and that makes me qualified,” he said, adding that each political party should be represented in the assembly according to the number of seats it has won in Parliament.
He also said that he would call for amending the articles on freedoms and Article 2 so that they do not violate Islamic Sharia.
Mohamed Abu al-Ghar, president the Egyptian Social Democratic Party, said the FJP asked all parties to provide a list of their nominations for assembly membership.
Translated from Al-Masry Al-Youm
