The Salafist group, Al-Dawa Al-Salafya (Salafist's Call), and the Nour (Light) Party have decided to boycott meetings convened by the Egyptian Deputy Prime Minister Ali El-Selmi to determine the constitutional principles. The meetings will also discuss the establishment of a constitutional drafting committee.
The Salafists turned down the invitation because they believe the constitutional principles only reflect the secularists' interests and that the constitution should not be based on these principles.
They also voiced dissatisfaction over El-Selmi's recurring statements that Egypt will be a "civil" state. Al-Azhar (Egypt’s Islamic authority) also rejects this term, which they see as too close to secularism.
The Nour Party, which has a Salafist frame of reference, described El-Selmi's initiative as a "step that will cause severe disagreements among parties and political forces for no reason."
They also accused him of trying to "rip apart the unity of the nation."
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