New constitution will include rules for appointment of defence minister

A senior member of the committee charged with drafting Egypt’s new constitution has revealed that the consensus among members is to include rules for the appointment of the country’s defence minister.

Dr Amr Shoubaki, the rapporteur of the Political Freedoms and Rights Sub-Committee, said that the group is to discuss such a clause with the armed forces’ leadership. It is believed that the move has stemmed from the desire to protect General Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi from prosecution for his role as Defence Minister should he fail to become president of Egypt.

The mood within the so-called “50 Committee”, said Shoubaki, is to dissolve the Shura Council, a move which he personally supports. He suggested that the new constitution will include provision for a fixed proportion of workers to be represented in the council. The committee is leaning towards “direct elections”, he added, as indirect elections weaken the position of participating parties.