There is no constitution in the world that has no flaws. Here are certain issues with Egypt’s new Constitution:
1. The chapter on rights and freedoms is similar to those found in the constitutions of developed and democratic countries. It protects all citizens, especially the vulnerable and the disabled, grants them freedom of movement and travel, recognizes the sanctity of their homes and restricts jail custody and the state of emergency that we lived in for thirty years under Mubarak.
Yet granting freedoms to the Egyptian people offends certain groups that think those people do not deserve freedom. They are either groups that are affiliated with security agencies or people that fear the press because they are corrupt.
2. The second point pertains to the system of governance. The first Egyptian Constitution in the modern era, in 1923, gave the king the power to dissolve parliament and, consequently, the Cabinet. Subsequent constitutions gave the president the same power and added to it the dismissal and appointment of ministers without justification.
Such absolute power does not exist in any democratic country, not even in the United States, as the president there is restricted by the House of Representatives and the Senate.
Although Egypt's new Constitution delegates parliament to recommend the prime minister, the president can still reject the recommendation. In other words, it is he who in the end chooses the prime minister. Also, it is he who chooses the defense, interior, foreign and justice ministers.
But for him to dismiss a minister, he needs the approval of parliament, which is normal in any semi-democratic country.
A good constitution, a free press and a powerful parliament elected in a democratic way are the best support for any president to become great in history. And we know where the opposite places him in history.
Granting a president absolute power creates the tyranny that Egypt has suffered from for more than sixty years. Is there a problem with a little bit of democracy? Is dictatorship so wonderful? I know that the opportunists and the corrupt prefer a dictatorship because they are afraid of democracy.
Amending the Constitution is not in favor of Egypt or President Sisi. Let us build a new Egypt away from attempts to establish a dictatorship.
Rise you Egyptian, for Egypt always calls for you.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
