Egyptian parliament convenes to elect constitutional assembly

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The Egyptian parliament has convened at the invitation of the country’s military rulers to select an assembly which will be tasked with drafting Egypt’s new constitution.

Wrangling has already begun over the shape the new document, which will determine the balance of power between the army-backed executive and parliament. According to reports, political parties have already been in talks over the make-up of the assembly.

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Despite recent parliamentary elections being hailed as the most democratic since 1952, last week an Egyptian court ruled that the voting system which elected the new parliament was unconstitutional. It is feared that this could create new uncertainty and hinder the functioning of the new legislature.

The new constitution will replace the one which helped to keep ousted president Hosni Mubarak in power for three decades.

MEMO Photographer: Mohammed Asad