Liberal forces will not allow a new constitution to be drafted based on religion, Coptic business mogul Naguib Sawiris told London-based Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper in an article published Wednesday.
Islamist parties, which have so far dominated ongoing parliamentary elections, will likely control the selection of constituent assembly members who will write the new constitution.
In an interview with Asharq Al-Awsat, Sawiris encouraged Islamist forces to offer concessions to achieve consensus with other political forces and avoid clashes.
Sawiris's Free Egyptians Party is competing in the People's Assembly elections that began on 28 November. The party leads the Egyptian Bloc, an electoral alliance that includes the leftist Tagammu Party and the Egyptian Social Democratic Party.
Liberal and secular forces fear Islamist influence on a new constitution will lead to a document that disregards minority rights and enshrines conservative values.
The ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) has thus far failed to curb the increasing influence of Islamist groups.
SCAF member Mokhtar al-Mulla told reporters on 8 December that a newly appointed advisory council would impose standards on parliament's selection of constituent assembly members.
But the military council later backtracked on its statements after anger from the Muslim Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party, which is expected to win at least 40 percent of People's Assembly seats.
Sawiris told the newspaper that the constitution should not be formulated by a single political group and should represent all sectors of society.
He said the Muslim Brotherhood and Salafis are pressing other forces to yield to a religion-based constitution, warning that if that happens, protests and public disobedience will continue.
Sawiris said Egypt's democratic transition was incorrectly designed and that the country rushed parliamentary elections without giving nascent parties the chance to gain ground, facilitating the rise of Islamists.
Translated from Al-Masry Al-Youm
