The new president should be sworn in before the elected Constituent Assembly, which should begin work on the new constitution immediately, said the Jama’a al-Islamiya’s Shura Council in Minya on Monday.
“The elected Constituent Assembly must approve any constitutional ammendments before the final election results are announced,” the group said in a statement.
On Sunday night, the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces issued a supplement to the interim constitution that was approved in a popular referendum in March 2011. The amended articles grant the SCAF full legislative powers, outline the role of the next president and govern the formation of the Constituent Assembly that would draft the new constitution.
The statement continued, “The Jama’a al-Islamiya maintains its earlier position that amendments to the Constitutional Declaration should be issued to determine the powers of the incoming president, in consultation with political forces.”
“In light of the Supreme Constitutional Court’s [SCC] decision to dissolve Parliament, we believe the issuance of the complementary constitutional declaration must be made in consultation with the recently elected Constituent Assembly, as it is responsible for preparing the constitution,” the statement added.
According to the group, the SCC’s recent ruling that effectively dissolved Parliament does not negate the rights of the Constituent Assembly to review such a declaration, as the assembly was formed prior to the SCC’s ruling. Decisions made by Parliament prior to the ruling should remain in force, the group said.
Jama’a al-Islamiya called on the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces and other political parties to “return to effective dialogue during the remaining days of the transitional period so as to ensure Egypt’s safe passage to a bright future, based on respect for the people’s free will, reconciliation and placing the country’s interests ahead of all others.”
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
