Egypt statute may ban religious-based parties

Cairo: Egypt is considering a new constitution that will ban religious-based political parties, reverting to the type of restrictions used by former leader Husni Mubarak and now viewed by authorities as critical for stability after the military’s removal of an Islamist government sparked weeks of violence.

The constitution is taking shape at a rapid clip, as the country’s military-backed leaders try to satisfy Western demands and their own promises of a prompt return to civilian rule. But the effort also threatens to leave the country’s basic division unresolved, with supporters of Mohammad Mursi, the ousted president backed by the Muslim Brotherhood, still squared off against Muslims, Christians and secular Egyptians who felt deeply disappointed by his rule.

A presidentially appointed 10-member panel has completed work on a draft constitution, and key elements have been reported in state-affiliated media in recent days. Along with clamping down on religious political parties, the proposed constitution repeals a move by Mursi to strengthen the role of Islamic law in Egypt.

The draft is expected to be sent this week to another presidential panel, this one consisting of 50 people drawn from a cross-section of Egyptian society, including the large trade unions, major religious groups, political parties, the security establishment and other constituencies. They are to make final recommendations in 60 days.

A constitutional referendum would follow in the fall — the second in as many years — and set the stage for national elections to choose a new president.

While Egypt’s second-largest Islamist organisation, the Salafist Nour Party, has agreed to participate on the panel, the Muslim Brotherhood has not been included. Much of its leadership has been imprisoned and is facing criminal charges for inciting violence — accusations the group describes as politically motivated.

Egypt has struggled for decades to find a formula that balances the role of Islam with the rights of its Christian minority and a strong secular current. As details of a proposed new constitution emerge, it is far from certain that this round of the process will be any more successful than the others.

Even supporters of the process acknowledge that it is unlikely to produce a national consensus, given the summer’s tumult. But it may, they argue, win enough backing for the country to move forward.

“We are in a very sensitive and critical state right now,” said Ahmad Saeed, head of the Free Egyptians Party, one of the groups invited to nominate members to the constitutional advisory panel. “If we really work on women’s rights and children’s rights and press rights, our sector of society - civil Egypt — will be happy. To reach consensus is another matter . . . I don’t think [the Muslim Brotherhood] will accept it.”

Egypt has about 53 million voting-age citizens. Roughly 26 million participated in the 2012 presidential election that Mursi won. Over the objections of many moderates, he pushed through a new constitution that garnered fewer than 12 million votes in a referendum late last year.