Egypt

Advisory Council demands new constitutional declaration

The Advisory Council for Egypt's ruling generals Tuesday renewed its call for a new interim constitution that would include bylaws on the formation of the Constituent Assembly.

The council welcomed a Cairo Administrative Court decision to halt the formation of the assembly, selected by the Islamist-dominated Parliament.

In a statement issued on Tuesday following its weekly meeting, the Advisory Council said the new assembly should include all segments of Egyptian society with their different political and cultural trends, without domination by any one faction.

The council proposed the amendment of Article 60 of the Constitutional Declaration issued in March 2011, which charges Parliament with electing the constitution-writing panel's 100 members.

The council demanded that the amendment include specific controls for the selection of assembly members so as to ensure the representation of all political and social groups — youth, women, Copts, trade unions, religious institutions and judicial bodies.

The Advisory Council also said representatives from the army, police, scientific research centers, remote geographic regions, workers unions, farmers, intellectuals, artists and civil society should participate in writing Egypt's next constitution.

The council demanded that the new members be elected by a number of candidates chosen by institutions and political parties, and that Parliament members do not dominate the assembly's makeup.

The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces formed the Advisory Council in December. A number of its members have since resigned in protest against the SCAF for ignoring its advice.

Translated from MENA

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