Egypt

ElBaradei: Fallen regime still running state institutions

Presidential candidate Mohamed ElBaradei said the ousted regime continues to run the state's institutions.

In an interview with Al-Masry Al-Youm, the presidential candidate said, “The toppled regime’s figures are still managing all institutions as though nothing has happened… This is what is scaring the people."

He went on: "A revolution means new faces, a new regime and a new Egypt."

ElBaradei said he is worried by the lack of a clear vision, and the feeling of instability it creates. All categories of Egyptians are concerned and no one knows what the future has in store for them.

He insisted that there is a need for a new constitution, having severely criticized the interim Constitutional Declaration issued last week by the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) after a public referendum approved a package of constitutional amendments.

ElBaradei said he had hoped the declaration would be preceded by dialogue between the people and the SCAF. He said some parts of it are vague, while  others fail to help Egyptians move towards their goals.

He added that the document has all the defects of the 1971 Constitution, partly referring to the parliamentary quotas for workers and farmers that are still in place.

The date of the parliamentary elections does not give newly-formed political parties arising from the revolution time to properly establish themselves, nor does it allow for genuine competition. "I fear the new Parliament will not be genuinely representative of the people," said ElBaradei.

ElBaradei further said he rejects the new political party law, which bans the formation of parties on the basis of geography, religion or profession. Countries throughout the world, he said, have parties for workers, farmers and other groups, as well as parties based on geographical areas.

ElBaradei called on the SCAF to keep the door open to free dialogue, and to separate its military role from its political one.

Translated from the Arabic Edition

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