Councilor Hassan Badrawi, member of the Constitutional Amendments Committee designated by the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, on Sunday warned that rejecting the proposed amendments would extend military rule in Egypt.
The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces is currently ruling Egypt for a transition period of six months after former President Hosni Mubarak was ousted on 11 February.
Badrawi, who is also vice president of the Supreme Constitutional Court, said that the military does not have to apply the 1971 Constitution, though it may choose to do so.
He added that Article 189 of the constitution binds a new parliament to forming a constituent assembly to draft a new constitution.
“We would not need to elect a vice president if we decide on a parliamentary political system,” Badrawi explained, adding that such a system would be unsuitable for Egypt ten years from now due to the absence of political forces that are able to form coalitions.
“Egypt needs a truly democratic presidential system in the coming period, something we never had,” he said, noting that the former regime was autocratic.
Badrawi denounced claims that political parties are not ready for elections. “Such claims were made by the former regime so as to scare us and make believe the Muslim Brotherhood was the only force ready for that,” he said.
He also said the Supreme Council agreed to relinquish its power in six months so as to prove that it does not intend to permanently control the country.
