A number of secular forces on Wednesday presented 12 conditions for the presidential candidates to pledge to, most notably the formation of a presidential staff that is comprised of parliamentarians that the candidates would disclose before the run-off.
In a conference at the Social Democratic Party of Egypt, the participants prepared a document which obligates each candidate to immediately start consultations to form a coalition government that would represent all political forces, including youth, women and Copts, and announce the name of their prime minister before the run-off.
It also obliges them to propose a Constituent Assembly that would represent all segments of society, including youth, women and Copts in a pro rata manner. Decisions by the assembly are to be passed by a two-third majority, and its members are to be announced before the run-off.
The pledges request they strictly abide by the values of equality before the law and equal opportunity and civil liberties, particularly freedom of opinion and expression, freedom of the press and religious freedoms. It also asked them to commit to the transition of power and fully respect the results of free and fair elections.
They would also be obligated to adopt policies that achieve social justice, narrow income differences and meet the basic needs of citizens in a dignified manner.
The document recognized the independence of the judiciary and the right of citizens to a civil trial, and called for codifying the status of the armed forces as per the 1971 Constitution, with the military budget to be controlled by Parliament without prejudice against the security and confidentiality of the military.
The most important article of the document was for the candidates to acknowledge the right of the Egyptian people to revolt in case they fail to implement those conditions or violate the constitution and public freedoms.
The final version of the document will be announced at a press conference on Friday at the Lawyers Syndicate.
