The constituent assembly tasked with writing Egypt’s new constitution is meeting Wednesday for the second time to try to resolve a crisis after liberals, Christians and others walked out in protest of Islamist domination of the committee.
The walkouts were angry that the Islamist-majority Parliament appointed a panel that was not representative of minorities and other political factions. Of the 100 members, 60 are affiliated with Islamist groups.
More than 20 members who withdrew, including representatives of the Coptic Church and others from Al-Azhar, the prestigious Sunni learning institute, demand the panel be totally redrawn.
Islamist panel member Nader Bakkar said the meeting Wednesday will suggest 10 members be replaced and give walkouts until Sunday to return before the panel will start work.
Mohamed al-Beltagy, an MP from the Freedom and Justice Party, said the party would suggest a joint meeting of the People's Assembly and the Shura Council to elect another 19 members for the constituent assembly to replace those who withdrew from it.
“Should this proposal be approved, it would achieve broader representation of all parties,” he told Nile News, adding that this might also persuade Al-Azhar and the church to return to the assembly.
