Constitutional Tweaks May Empower Mubarak-Era Politicians In Egypt

[Purveyor]

CAIRO | Sat Aug 24, 2013 9:10am EDT

(Reuters) - Changes suggested by Egypt's army-backed rulers would scrap Islamic additions to a constitution forced through under deposed President Mohamed Mursi and revive a voting system dating back to his predecessor Hosni Mubarak.

Islamists and liberals have voiced alarm about the proposals made by a constitutional committee set up by the generals who removed the Muslim Brotherhood's Mursi on July 3 amid widespread protests against Egypt's first freely elected leader.

The army has suspended the constitution adopted under Mursi late last year. It had been endorsed by a referendum after he grabbed extraordinary powers to ensure its passage, igniting some of the bloodiest street protests of his turbulent year in power.

Now an army-installed government is revising a document faulted for embedding Islamic influence in lawmaking and for short-changing human rights, especially of women and minorities, including Christians who form some 10 percent of the population.

The changes drafted by a 10-member committee - and leaked to the media on Wednesday, the same day a court ordered Mubarak freed from jail - are part of an army roadmap back to democracy.

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http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/08/24/us-egypt-protests-constitution-idUSBRE97N06420130824

[Scootaloo]

1. Gosh, who could have seen this one coming?

If they ever hold elections, I imagine that el-Sisi will walk away with 90% of the vote, with the enbalmed mummy of Mubarak getting a designated nod of 89.99%.

No, the math doesn't have to work.