Thirty-six political and youth groups in Egypt have announced they would aid a signature campaign regarding the country’s new constitution. The campaign seeks 15 million signatures supporting the formulation of the country's new constitution before parliamentary elections scheduled for September.
The invitation was made by the Free Front for Peaceful Change, which said it had agreed with political groups to gather signatures from citizens following Friday's prayers and Sunday's church mass.
The front's spokesperson, Essam al-Sharif, said the campaign managed to secure nearly 250,000 signatures so far, adding that hundreds of citizens have volunteered to help organize conferences during the first three days of the campaign.
Al-Sharif noted that the front intends to hold a press conference next week discussing the means to obtaining millions of additional signatures. He revealed that political groups joining their bid include the Democratic Front Party, the Revolution Youth Union, the Maspero Youth Union, the National Association for Change, Karama Party, Ghad Party, Arab Nasserist Party, and the freedoms committee at the Lawyers Syndicate, among other popular movements.
Egypt's military rulers made a constitutional declaration following a popular referendum in March, which supported amendments made to Egypt's old 1971 Constitution. The declaration stipulates that the new parliament, to be elected in September, elect a panel that draws up Egypt's new constitution.
But secular and liberal forces fear that the next parliament will be dominated by the Muslim Brotherhood, Egypt's largest Islamist group, as well as remnants from the former ruling National Democratic Party. They demand that the constitution be laid down first by a panel representing all social and political sectors.
