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Mansour: After the constitution the country will have an elected president and parliament

February 5, 2014 at 12:42 am

Egypt’s interim President Adly Mansour suggested that if Egyptians approve the new constitution in the referendum being held on Tuesday and Wednesday, then this will pave the way for the election of a president and a parliament.


During a speech on Sunday in commemoration of the Prophet’s birthday, Mansour called on the Egyptian people to cast their votes this week: “I call on you, out of keenness for the country’s present and future, to uphold your national duty by going to the ballot boxes to cast your vote…Set an example to the world with your civility and commitment.”

“Please be aware that the adoption of this new constitution will pave the way for genuine, solid steps on the road to democracy. There will be an elected president for this nation. Egypt will also have an elected parliament that will achieve the Islamic principle of shura [consultation] in its modern, contemporary sense,” he added.

Mansour was appointed interim president after the 3 July coup that ousted Egypt’s first democratically elected president, Mohamed Morsi. On 8 July, the interim government announced a “roadmap to democracy” where a referendum on the amendments to the now-suspended 2012 constitution would be the first in a series of elections. After the new constitution was approved, a parliamentary election was slated to be held first, followed by presidential elections.

However local media outlets have considered Mansour’s recent statement as a hint that the presidential election may be held first.

The Egyptian presidency polled around 87 public figures in the context of the “community dialogue” it organised last month. The results revealed that the majority of officials prefer for the presidential election to be held before the parliamentary elections, contrary to what the roadmap stipulates.

The National Alliance to Support Legitimacy in Egypt, which supports President Morsi, is calling for a boycott of this week’s constitutional referendum. On the other hand, the “civil forces” that back the ruling regime are calling for a “yes” vote.

Source: Anadolu Agency