Opposition parties and movements are preparing for the constitutional referendum on 15 December, with the April 6 Youth Movement mobilizing voters to reject the draft while the National Salvation Front will decide Tuesday if it would call for a boycott or a “no” vote.
April 6 launched the “Your Constitution Does Not Represent Us” campaign on Monday to educate citizens on the failures of the draft constitution and the dangers of rushing into a national referendum.
The movement urged citizens to vote against the new constitution on 15 December.
Movement member Engy Hamdy said in a statement that the campaign aims to mobilize the largest possible number of voters against the constitution, because “it contravenes the revolution’s demands for pluralism, power transition and social justice.”
“Ours is a counter-campaign to that of the Islamists,” she added. “They use religious slogans to manipulate the feelings of the masses.”
“We want a constitution that represents all Egyptians,” Hamdy continued.
A number of political leaders have rejected the new draft constitution, but have not announced whether they would boycott the referendum or vote against the constitution, while they awaited the final decision of the National Salvation Front.
Amr Moussa, leader of the Egyptian Conference Party, said the National Salvation Front would make a decision after Tuesday’s mass demonstration against the referendum.
“We at the front do not have blind obedience,” he said. “We have dialogue and majority votes.”
Wafd Party Assistant Secretary General Hossam al-Kholy stated that the referendum should be canceled or postponed until it is agreed upon by all national forces.
“We shall abide by the decision of the front,” Kholy said, adding that it is particularly problematic that the judiciary might not supervise the referendum, and that the police might not be able to protect the voters on Saturday.
Tagammu Party spokesperson Nabil Zaky said the party would boycott the referendum because it considers the Constituent Assembly illegal.
“All civil forces withdrew from the assembly,” Zaky said. “The constitution does not represent all Egyptians, as it was crafted by the political Islam sector alone.”
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
