Egyptians are heading to the polls to vote on a new constitution, which could be the first step in a path towards fresh elections for a new democratically elected president.
Amid tight security with 20,000 police deployed at polling stations across the country, Egypt is having a two-day referendum on a new charter that would replace the controversial constitution passed by ousted Islamist President Mohamed Morsi.
The military are looking for a strong yes vote to demonstrate popular support and offer legitimacy for their action in removing Morsi from power. Turnout is key to such legitimacy, with only 32.9% of Egyptians voting on Morsi’s constitution, which passed with 63.8% support, but the military really need a yes vote from more than 50% of the population at large.
However, the Islamist Muslim Brotherhood from where Morsi found most of his support, which has since been designated a terrorist organisation by the Egyptian military, have vowed to boycott the vote.
Many are fearing violence as people go to the polls, but apart from an explosion near a court building in Cairo’s Imbaba district, before the polls opened in which there were no casualties, is the only action so far. However, one person was killed during an anti-referendum protest in Bani Suef according to the BBC.
Whilst the campaigning for the new constitution has been mostly free of violence, people putting up posters protesting the new constitution have been arrested as support for it has flooded both public and private media across Egypt. The vote on the new constitution may be free, but there has been little open debate on the issue.
The new constitution was drafted by a 50-member committee including two representatives of Islamist parties, but no-one from the now illegal Muslim Brotherhood. Its clauses include a two-term limit for presidents, freedom of religion with Islam remaining the official state religion, protections for minorities, and equal rights for women.
However, detractors have noted that the document gives a lot of power to the military including a budget beyond civilian oversight, a provision for civilians to be tried in military tribunals, and giving the military the power to appoint the defence minister for the next eight years.
General Sisi, who has led the country since Morsi was ousted from power is likely to run for president if people vote in support of the new constitution and a presidential election follows soon afterwards. Morsi is currently in jail in Alexandria facing criminal charges relating to his time in office and is unlikely to be permitted to run in any future presidential elections.
1 Comment
Hi,
Egypt votes on new constitution. The Arab Spring began in Tunisia which was a consequence of the Iraq War, has gone wrong. Tunisia its origin has made corrections in which all have made compromises. Egypt must do the same to unify the social structure of the land. A strong government is needed to manage the economy of a potentially rich land.