The Muslim Brotherhood said it accepts the proposed constitution amendments and will do its utmost to ensure they are approved in the referendum scheduled for 19 March.
At a conference at the headquarters of its members of parliament, Mohamed Morsi, a member of the Brotherhood’s Guidance Bureau, said the group accepts the amendments though it believes they are insufficient. He called on the people to endorse the suggested changes so parliamentary elections can go ahead.
Morsi also said that conducting the presidential elections prior to the parliamentary poll would mean another despotic leader, adding that parliamentary elections should be followed by the formulation of a new constitution to limit presidential powers. After this a presidential race should be held, he added.
He also called for the formation of a council to formulate a new constitution, saying this would be the way to make a transformation to democracy. The group also revealed that there are ongoing consultations with other political groups to have a unified list of candidates for the coming parliamentary poll, adding that it is still too early to determine the group’s new slogan.
Morsi warned that certain challenges facing the revolution must be dealt with. The vestiges of the old regime must be removed, state security officers and corrupt businessmen must be held accountable, the thuggery of state security and the National Democratic Party (NDP) must be faced, and Israel and other foreign powers seeking to interfere in Egyptian affairs must be dealt with, he said.
Morsi added that the group will hold a dialogue session with other political powers on Wednesday to discuss the dangers of rejecting the proposed constitutional amendments.
He further revealed that the group will contest between 30 and 35 percent of parliamentary seats.
Commenting on fears that the Brotherhood could replace the NDP as the power dominating political life, Saad al-Katatni, another Guidance Bureau member, said the Brotherhood and the NDP are dissimilar. He said that such fears are expressed by the counter-revolutionary camp.
Translated from the Arabic Edition.
