Misr Al-Qawiya party says constitutional amendments make army supreme ruler

Fekri Nabil, a member of the Misr Al-Qawiya party, said the Committee of 50 to rewrite Egypt’s constitution has drafted articles about the armed forces’ mandate that signal a turning against democracy and demonstrate a lack of understanding of the country’s needs and the people’s demands, especially all those who fought to topple Egypt’s authoritarian regime.

Nabil made the following statement: “the articles’ wording makes the army Egypt’s supreme ruler. According to the articles, the army commanders will control Egypt’s resources and decisions, regardless of the state’s institutions and authorities elected by the people.”

Nabil added that: “officials claiming that the military should be free to select its leadership, just like the judiciary does, reveals an attempt to mislead public opinion, either deliberately or out of ignorance. The military institution is part of the executive authority and its monopoly over force and weaponry to defend the state. Therefore, it must be managed and controlled by the elected civilian authorities. The army is not a judicial authority and is without any legislative or executive powers.”