Hamdeen Sabbahi proposes 6 steps out of Egypt's political crisis

Ahram Online, Wednesday 11 Jul 2012

Nasserist former presidential candidate proposes 6 measures to help Egypt exit its ongoing political crisis

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Nasserist Hamdeen Sabahi (Photo: Reuters)

Hamdeen Sabbahi, the Nasserist former presidential candidate, has proposed six measures to solve the country's political crisis:

1.     President Morsi should declare his respect for the judiciary's decision on the parliamentary elections law and not involve the judiciary in political disputes.

2.     The current constituent assembly should be reformed by Morsi so it represents a true national coalition without being monopolised by any particular trend.

3.     Once the new constituent assembly is formed it should  continue where the old one left off. In addition, the president should transfer legislative authorities to the assembly, which it will conduct until a new parliament is elected.

4.     Parliamentary elections should take place sixty days after the referendum on the new constitution. Legislative powers should then be transferred to the newly elected parliament. Judicial independence should be at the top of its agenda.

5.     The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) should respect all the suggestions made above (1-4) once they are implemented. After legislative powers are transferred to the constituent assembly, the SCAF's constitutional addendum will be invalid.

6.     President Morsi should release all political detainees, and those facing military trials should be tried by a civil court before the holy month of Ramadan.

On Tuesday the High Constitutional Court (HCC) cancelled Morsi's decree which had reinstated the People's Assembly.

In mid-June, the HCC declared the parliamentary elections law – which had governed last year's legislative polls – to be unconstitutional. The following day, Egypt's then-ruling SCAF ordered the dissolution of the People's Assembly. 

Hamdeen Sabbahi recently announced his intention to form a third political current to oppose the military and Islamist trends in the country.

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