Cairo: Egypt’s Islamists and the secular-minded opposition have fervently vied in the past few days to win over potential voters ahead of a two-round referendum on a contentious draft constitution starting on Saturday.
Islamist powers, including President Mohammad Mursi’s Muslim Brotherhood, have sought to mobilise the public by touting the constitution as Egypt’s key to stability.
The constitution, drafted by an Islamist-controlled constituent assembly, has sharply divided Egypt and prompted thousands to take to the streets in protest in recent weeks. The protests sometimes turned deadly, as happened on December 5 when Mursi’s backers and opponents fought outside the presidential palace in Cairo, leaving 10 people dead and hundreds injured, according to government figures.
Describing the charter as Egypt’s greatest constitution, the Muslim Brotherhood has urged Egyptians to vote for the document. “The chance has come to you to choose for yourself a constitution that will regulate your life, confirm your sovereignty and bolster your willpower and dignity,” said the powerful group in a statement.
Massive billboards were, meanwhile, set up on the nation’s highways, reading: “With the constitution, the wheel will move”.
Egypt has been gripped by street turmoil and economic decline since a popular uprising deposed former president Hosni Mubarak almost two years ago.
“Failure to approve this constitution means more instability,” said Yasser Burhami, a leading ultra-conservative Islamist. He accused Mursi’s opponents of seeking to undermine what he called the “Islamist project” in Egypt.
Ahead of the referendum, Islamists turned to mosque sermons, public rallies and street meetings to coax voters into approving the charter.
The Brotherhood, which has a wide grassroot base, also launched the “knock the door” campaign, including house-to-house visits to explain the content of the 236-article document. “The Brotherhood women were groomed at political awareness courses taught by specialists to explain to the people the constitution, especially the controversial articles,” said Sabah Al Saqari, a female official in the Brotherhood’s Freedom and Justice Party.
The opposition has condemned the constitution, Egypt’s first since Mubarak’s ouster, saying it jeopardizes basic freedoms and ignores women’s rights. The main opposition coalition, the National Salvation Front, has this week reversed a threat to boycott the vote, urging its followers to vote “No” to the draft.
The Nobel laureate Mohammad Al Baradei, who leads the bloc, has said that going ahead with the referendum despite national divisions is an “irresponsible act”.
The opposition placed advertisements in independent newspapers and aired TV commercials calling on voters to disapprove the charter. It also distributed leaflets explaining why the draft is “flawed and must be voted down”.
