Cairo: Egypt's military rulers are expected to decree a temporary constitution restricting the country's new president, as the nation is to vote this week in its first presidential election since Hosni Mubarak was removed from power.
The temporary constitution, which will be issued after the Islamist-dominated parliament failed to form a balanced assembly to write a permanent constitution, is expected to give the new president the right to dissolve the parliament and be the supreme commander of the army, according to speculation in Cairo.
It will also give the parliament the right to form the government except for naming cabinet ministers for key portfolios of defence, the interior and foreign affairs that will be part of the presidential powers, media reports said.
"It is likely that the presidential system will be maintained, but with guarantees to ensure that the ruler will not turn into a dictator," said Bahaa Al Deen Abu Shuqa, a senior official in the liberal Al Wafd Party.
There was no immediate comment from the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces.
Sources close to the opposition said Sunday the country's political powers have failed to draft their own proposals to present to the military for the new temporary constitution.
"Our party does not object to the military's issuance of a constitutional declaration that will complement the one already approved in a public referendum in March 2001," said Essam Al Erian, the deputy head of the Muslim Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party (FJP).
"But the new declaration should be drafted in coordination with all political powers and parties to achieve a balance in powers of the legislative, executive and judicial authorities," he added.
The FJP holds the majority in the post-Mubarak parliament .
A liberal lawmaker, however, said that the political parties are not interested in having a new temporary constitution. "They have agreed that if the [ruling] military council is keen on issuing a complementary constitutional declaration to define the president's powers, this declaration should be limited in scope so as not to be used as a pretext to delay writing a permanent constitution," added MP Wahid Abdul Majid.
He denied reports that the planned temporary constitution will give the president the right to dissolve the parliament or the latter the right to conduct a no-confidence vote against the government.
"This will contradict the present constitutional declaration," he said.
The generals have been governing Egypt since a popular revolt forced Mubarak to step down in February last year. They have repeatedly pledged to transfer power to an elected civilian administration by the end of June.
The opposition remains sceptical, saying that the military would not leave before becoming sure about its future role and economic interests.
Thirteen contenders, including an ex-army general, are competing for presidency in elections due to be held on Wednesday and Thursday. Ahmad Shafiq, Mubarak's last premier with an expansive military career, has dramatically advanced in recent opinion polls, raising fears about Egyptians who want a civilian president for the country.
Shafiq, 70, has taken the lead in two surveys published Sunday in two major independent newspapers.
He has come first with 19.3 per cent support, followed by former foreign minister Amr Mousa with 14.6 per cent in the survey carried by Al Masry Al Youm. Shafiq has also outrivaled Mousa in the second poll carried by Al Shorouk with 15.8 per cent and 15.3 per cent, respectively.
