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Protesters are gathering in Cairo’s Tahrir Square on the eve of a mass rally to demand the resignation of Egypt’s President Mohammed Morsi.
As darkness fell, thousands of people could be seen milling in the square, focus of the protests which brought down his predecessor, Hosni Mubarak.
Sunday is the first anniversary of Mohamed Morsi’s inauguration as president.
Tensions has been high ahead of rally. At least three people – including a US citizen – died in unrest on Friday.
Washington has warned Americans not to travel to Egypt.
Protesters are unhappy with the policies of the Islamist president and his Muslim Brotherhood allies.
Egyptian protesters are unhappy with the policies of Islamist President Mohamed Morsi and his Muslim Brotherhood allies
Thousands of supporters of Mohamed Morsi, who was elected by a small margin, rallied in the capital on Saturday.
President Barack Obama has said America is “looking with concern” at the situation.
Opposition activists say more than 22 million people have signed a petition seeking a snap election. They have urged the signatories to come out on Tahrir on Sunday.
Flags and tents form a base camp on the square from where protesters plan to march President Mohamed Morsi’s office.
Amr Riad, 26, told Reuters news agency: “We’re peaceful but if those who come at us are violent we’ll defend ourselves.”
Speaking in South Africa, Barack Obama urged “all parties to make sure they are not engaging in violence and that police and military are showing appropriate restraint”.
“We would like to see the opposition and President Morsi engage in a more constructive conversation about [how] to move their country forward,” he said.
Reports say that Cairo International Airport has been unusually busy as both expatriates and Egyptians leave the country.
On Friday, US national Andrew Pochter and another man were killed in the northern Egyptian city of Alexandria as protesters stormed an office of the Muslim Brotherhood.
Andrew Pochter, who was in the country to teach English to children and improve his own Arabic, was killed apparently while using a mobile phone to take pictures.
His family said in a statement that he had been stabbed by a protester while observing demonstrations.
The other fatality in Alexandria on Friday was an Egyptian man who was shot dead, according to medical sources.
Another man, said to be a journalist, was killed by an explosion in Port Said and five other people were injured.
President Mohamed Morsi earlier this week offered a dialogue – a move rejected by his opponents.
Mohamed Morsi, who hails from the Muslim Brotherhood, became Egypt’s first Islamist president on 30 June 2012, after winning an election considered free and fair.
His first year as president has been marred by constant political unrest and a sinking economy.
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President Mohammed Morsi’s supporters and opponents have staged rival rallies across Egypt but there has been violence in the north.
Tension has risen ahead of a Sunday protest planned by the opposition.
Thousands of Mohamed Morsi supporters rallied outside the main mosque in Cairo’s Nasr district.
At least one person, said by state TV to be a US journalist, was killed in Alexandria as protesters stormed a local Muslim Brotherhood office.
The US embassy said it was trying to confirm the reports.
Dozens more were injured when anti-Morsi protesters and Islamists clashed in the northern city, the second biggest in Egypt.
The office of the Muslim Brotherhood, which backs Mohamed Morsi, was set ablaze and birdshot was fired.
The authorities are reported to have called in riot police and army helicopters to try to quell the violence.
A Muslim Brotherhood-funded TV channel said petrol bombs were thrown in another northern area, Sharqia.
At least five people are now reported to have died in northern Egypt in violence linked to the political situation in the past few days.
Security is tight in many areas with troops deployed in Cairo and elsewhere.
Egypt’s leading Muslim authority, the Al-Azhar institute, has issued a statement warning against escalating violence.
“We must be alert lest we slide into a civil war that does not differentiate between supporters and opponents,” it said.
President Mohammed Morsi’s supporters and opponents have staged rival rallies across Egypt
Mohamed Morsi’s supporters are holding “open-ended” rallies before what the opposition bills as big protests on Sunday calling for him to resign. Sunday is the first anniversary of the president’s inauguration.
Thousands of supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood and its Islamist allies massed outside Nasr City’s Rabaa al-Adawiya mosque on Friday.
They stressed what they see as Mohamed Morsi’s “legitimacy”, rejecting the opposition’s demand for him to resign.
Mohamed Morsi opponents gathered in Tahrir Square, ahead of Sunday’s planned march to the presidential palace, and anti-Morsi protesters began a sit-in outside the building.
Police officers and former military personnel also assembled outside the ministry of defense in Cairo in opposition to Mohamed Morsi’s rule and called for the military to take power again.
The main opposition coalition on Thursday rejected President Mohamed Morsi’s offer of dialogue.
In a statement, the National Salvation Front said it “remained determined to call for an early presidential election”.
“We are confident the Egyptian people will come out in their millions to hold peaceful demonstrations on all of Egypt’s squares and streets to realize their aspirations and to put the 25 January revolution back on track,” it added.
The opposition was referring to the popular uprising in January 2011 which ousted President Hosni Mubarak.
The president said divisions threatened to “paralyze” Egypt, in a speech on Wednesday to mark a year in office.
Mohamed Morsi, who hails from the Muslim Brotherhood, became Egypt’s first Islamist president on 30 June 2012, after winning an election considered free and fair.
His first year as president has been marred by constant political unrest and a sinking economy.
Mohamed Morsi also used his televised address to warn the media not to abuse free speech.
Within hours ripples from the speech could be felt across Egyptian media.
A talk show on the al-Fareen TV channel ended abruptly on Thursday night when the presenter learned he was to be arrested. Host and owner Tawfiq Okasha is accused of spreading false information, and the channel has ceased broadcasting.
Another prominent presenter resigned on air on state-run television in protest at what he called government interference in the editorial content of his programme.
In his speech, Mohamed Morsi defended his performance, admitting errors and promising immediate and radical reforms to address them.
“I was right in some cases, and wrong in other cases,” the president said.
“I have discovered after a year in charge that for the revolution to achieve its goals, it needs radical measures.”
Mohamed Morsi apologized for the fuel shortages that have caused long lines at petrol stations and angered many Egyptians, and also for failing to involve the nation’s youth enough.
But despite his initial conciliatory tone, the speech swiftly moved into a condemnation of those he blamed for Egypt’s problems.
“I took responsibility for a country mired in corruption and was faced with a war to make me fail,” he said, naming several officials he believed wanted to “turn the clock back” to the Mubarak era, including politicians, judges and journalists.
“Political polarization and conflict has reached a stage that threatens our nascent democratic experience and threatens to put the whole nation in a state of paralysis and chaos,” Mohamed Morsi warned.
“The enemies of Egypt have not spared effort in trying to sabotage the democratic experience.”
Mohamed Morsi called on opposition figures to “enter elections if you want to change the government” and criticized them for refusing to take part in a national dialogue.
The head of the army earlier warned it would not allow Egypt to slip into “uncontrollable conflict”.
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Egyptian satirist Bassem Youssef has been released on bail, after being questioned by prosecutors over allegations he insulted Islam and President Mohamed Morsi.
Bassem Youssef was ordered to pay 15,000 Egyptian pounds ($2,190).
He had spent five hours at the public prosecutor’s office, a day after a warrant was issued for his arrest.
Bassem Youssef has faced several complaints over his show Al Bernameg (The Programme), which satirizes many public figures.
Egyptian satirist Bassem Youssef has been released on bail, after being questioned by prosecutors over allegations he insulted Islam and President Mohamed Morsi
On his Twitter feed, Bassem Youssef said the bail conditions were related to three lawsuits, while a fourth was still being investigated.
The case has highlighted worries about press freedoms in Egypt.
At one point during his arrival at the prosecutor’s office Bassem Youssef donned an oversized academic hat, mocking one which Mohamed Morsi wore recently when he received an honorary doctorate in Pakistan.
In a statement sent out on his Twitter account as he arrived, Bassem Youssef said that lawyers and policemen at the office wanted their picture taken with him, and joked that this was perhaps the real reason for his summons.
However, the al-Misri al-Yawm news portal reported that the judge asked Bassem Youssef to remove this and other tweets written during the questioning.
Bassem Youssef is a doctor who shot to fame after winning a large number of followers with his witty lampooning of public figures in amateur videos posted on the internet following the uprising that ended Hosni Mubarak’s rule in February 2011.
He became a household name when his satirical show – likened to Jon Stewart’s The Daily Show in the US – began to be broadcast three times a week on one of Egypt’s independent satellite stations.
But sketches in which he portrayed President Mohamed Morsi as a pharaoh, calling him “Super Morsi” for holding on to executive and legislative powers, and, separately, putting the president’s image on a pillow and parodying his speeches angered one Islamist lawyer, whose formal complaint resulted in the investigation.
As well as insulting Mohamed Morsi and Islam, Bassem Youssef is also accused of “spreading false news with the aim of disrupting public order”.
Bassem Youssef’s case is also seen as the latest in a string of prosecution actions against opponents of President Mohamed Morsi and the movement that supports him, the Muslim Brotherhood.
Earlier this week, Egypt’s top prosecutor ordered the arrest of five political activists, among them a leading blogger, on suspicion of inciting aggression against the Brotherhood.
Many journalists have criticized the Islamist-backed constitution which came into force earlier this year, arguing it does not offer enough guarantees for a free media.
The constitution also sparked protests from opponents who say it favors Islamists and does not sufficiently protect the rights of women or Christians.
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An arrest warrant has been issued in Egypt for popular political satirist Bassem Youssef for allegedly insulting Islam and President Mohamed Morsi.
Bassem Youssef has faced several complaints over his show Al Bernameg (The Programme).
The satirist has poked fun at a wide range of figures, from fellow television presenters to well-known Muslim scholars and recently Mohamed Morsi himself.
The case has highlighted worries about press freedoms in Egypt.
An arrest warrant has been issued in Egypt for popular political satirist Bassem Youssef for allegedly insulting Islam and President Mohamed Morsi
The move is also seen as the latest in a string of prosecution actions against opponents of the president and his party, the Muslim Brotherhood.
Earlier this week, Egypt’s top prosecutor ordered the arrest of five political activists, among them a leading blogger, on suspicion of inciting aggression against the Brotherhood.
The prosecutor, Talat Ibrahim, was appointed late last year by the president, after he had sacked his predecessor, Abdel Maguid Mahmoud.
However, a court this week ordered Maguid Mahmoud’s reinstatement, a decision that Talat Ibrahim said on Saturday he would fight.
Many journalists have criticized the Islamist-backed constitution which came into force earlier this year, arguing it does not offer enough guarantees for a free media.
The constitution also sparked protests from opponents who say it favors Islamists and does not sufficiently protect the rights of women or Christians.
Bassem Youssef is a doctor who shot to fame after winning a large number of followers with his witty lampooning of public figures in amateur videos posted on the internet following the uprising that ended Hosni Mubarak’s rule in February 2011.
He became a household name when his satirical show – likened to Jon Stewart’s The Daily Show in the US – began to be broadcast three times a week on one of Egypt’s independent satellite stations.
But sketches in which Bassem Youssef portrayed Mohamed Morsi as a pharaoh, calling him “Super Morsi” for holding on to executive and legislative powers, and, separately, putting the president’s image on a pillow and parodying his speeches angered one Islamist lawyer, whose formal complaint resulted in the investigation.
As well as insulting President Mohamed Morsi and Islam, Bassem Youssef is also accused of “spreading false news with the aim of disrupting public order”.
In a statement posted on Bassem Youssef’s Twitter account on Saturday he confirmed the warrant, adding: “I will go to the public prosecutor’s office on Sunday – unless they send me a police car and save me [the bother of] getting there on public transport.”
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An Egyptian administrative court has suspended general elections that were scheduled to begin in April.
The court said the electoral law needed to be reviewed by the Supreme Constitutional Court to determine whether it conformed to the constitution.
President Mohamed Morsi had said the polls would begin on April 22, taking place in four stages over two months.
The elections have been boycotted by the main opposition, amid continuing street protests.
The National Salvation Front (NSF) has said the electoral law favors Mohamed Morsi’s Islamist allies – a claim denied by the president.
The NSF has also expressed concerns that the election will not be free and fair.
Egypt remains sharply divided between Islamists and their liberal and secular opponents.
An Egyptian administrative court has suspended general elections that were scheduled to begin in April
More than 70 people have been killed in violence between security forces and protesters since February, following the second anniversary of the revolution that ousted President Hosni Mubarak.
On Wednesday, the security head in the city of Port Said was dismissed following renewed clashes between demonstrators and police.
The coastal city has seen sporadic violence since January, when death sentences were handed down to 39 people imprisoned over football violence last year which left more than 70 people dead.
The administrative court said it had acted because the Shura Council – the upper house of parliament – had not returned the amended electoral law to the Supreme Court for final review.
Instead, the court said, the Shura Council had sent the law to President Mohamed Morsi for ratification.
Mohamed Morsi’s office has so far made no public comment on the court’s decision. The president can appeal against the ruling.
Egyptian courts have made a number of decisions that have gone against the president and his Muslim Brotherhood movement, further complicating the country’s political crisis.
In June, the lower house was dissolved after the Supreme Constitutional Court ruled that one of the laws under which the elections were fought was not legitimate.
In the last elections, in January 2012, Islamist parties won an overwhelming majority, with the Freedom and Justice Party of the Muslim Brotherhood movement taking the biggest share.
Egypt’s President Mohamed Morsi has called parliamentary elections, starting on April 27 and end in June.
A presidential decree said voting would take place in four regional stages, due to a shortage of election supervisors.
Mohamed Morsi and his Muslim Brotherhood movement hope the election will put an end to increasingly vocal opposition and street protests, analysts say.
The Islamist-dominated parliament was dissolved last June after judges ruled election laws were unconstitutional.
In the last elections, in January 2012, the Muslim Brotherhood’s Freedom and Justice party won roughly 40% of the vote.
Egypt is deeply divided between Mohamed Morsi’s Islamist supporters and a liberal-led opposition, and has been wracked by unrest, insecurity and an economic crisis.
Tensions have intensified since an Islamist-backed constitution – criticized for failing to protect key rights – was adopted in December.
Egypt’s President Mohamed Morsi has called parliamentary elections, starting on April 27 and end in June
Thursday’s decree states voting will take place in:
- Cairo and four other provinces on April 27-28, with a run-off scheduled for May 4-5
- Giza, Alexandria and six other provinces on May 15-16, with a run-off scheduled for May 22-23
- Eight provinces on June 2-3, with a run-off scheduled for June 9-10
- Six provinces on June 19-20, with a run-off on June 26-27
The new People’s Assembly will be invited to convene on July 6, the decree said.
Anti-Mohamed Morsi protesters have clashed with police outside the presidential palace in Cairo, after a week of violence in which more than 60 people were killed.
Riot police used tear gas and water cannon to try to drive back the crowds throwing rocks and petrol bombs.
Thousands also rallied in Port Said – one year after football riots in the city, which killed 74 people.
The protesters accuse Islamist President Mohamed Morsi of betraying the 2011 uprising – a claim he denies.
In a statement on his Facebook page, Mohamed Morsi warned that security forces would “act with utmost decisiveness” to protect state institutions and those groups behind the violence would be held “politically accountable”.
Mohamed Morsi’s supporters say the demonstrators are trying to used the power of the street to bring down the country’s first democratically elected president.
On Friday, thousands of people chanted “Leave, leave, Morsi!” as they gathered outside the presidential palace – in the north of the capital.
Some of the demonstrators then began throwing Molotov cocktails over the palace walls and lighting fires in the streets.
Anti-Mohamed Morsi protesters have clashed with police outside the presidential palace in Cairo, after a week of violence in which more than 60 people were killed
Skirmishes were reported close to the capital’s Tahrir Square, where thousands more marched, urging Mohamed Morsi to leave.
A demonstration was also held in Port Said, at the northern end of the Suez Canal.
The city has seen the worst of the violence over the past week, in clashes sparked by death sentences imposed on 21 local people in connection with the football riots.
On Thursday, leaders of some of the main political factions condemned the violence. But youth groups later still called for more street protests.
In a separate development, human rights officials have expressed alarm over a rise in sexual violence against women in Cairo.
According to the UN’s Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, 25 women have been sexually assaulted, mainly in Tahrir Square, since the protests erupted.
Michelle Bachelet, of the UN’s Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women, said she was “deeply disturbed by the gravity of [the] recent attacks”.
Sexual assaults against women around Tahrir Square was widely reported during the uprising there which eventually unseated Hosni Mubarak.
The current unrest began on January 24 in Cairo on the eve of the second anniversary of the revolution and has spread to several cities.
Protesters accuse President Mohamed Morsi, a member of the Islamist Muslim Brotherhood, of imposing a new form of authoritarianism and betraying the values of their uprising two years ago.
On Tuesday, Egyptian army chief General Abdul Fattah al-Sisi warned that the political crisis could lead to the collapse of the state.
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Egypt’s President Mohamed Morsi has declared a state of emergency in the city of Port Said after deadly rioting in response to a court judgment.
A daily curfew from 21:00 to 06:00 will be imposed for 30 days beginning on Monday, also covering Suez and Ismalia, he said in a TV speech to the nation.
At least 33 people have been killed in unrest over the weekend.
Protests erupted after a court sentenced 21 local people over deadly football violence nearly a year ago.
Mohamed Morsi said he mighty take further steps “for the sake of Egypt” as it was his “duty” as president.
He also invited political leaders to a “national dialogue” on Monday.
Egypt’s President Mohamed Morsi has declared a state of emergency in the city of Port Said after deadly rioting in response to a court judgment
In the capital Cairo, anti-government protesters clashed with security forces near Tahrir Square for a fourth consecutive day.
The liberal opposition accuses Mohamed Morsi of being autocratic and driving through a new constitution that does not protect adequately freedom of expression or religion.
The government is also being blamed for a deepening economic crisis.
Correspondents say Port Said remains in a state of rage after the 21 defendants were sentenced over riots which killed 74 people after a football game last February.
February’s violence began when fans of Port Said side al-Masry attacked visiting supporters from Cairo club al-Ahly.
Fans flooded on to pitch attacking al-Ahly players and fans as the match ended.
Most of the victims died of concussion, cuts and suffocation.
About 30 people were killed in unrest in the city on Saturday with a further three dying at a mass funeral on Sunday.
Egyptian police have clashed with protesters gathering in Tahrir Square in capital Cairo ahead of the second anniversary of the uprising that swept Hosni Mubarak from power.
President Mohamed Morsi’s opponents plan a rally, accusing the Islamist leader of betraying the revolution.
Mohamed Morsi denies the claim, and has called for “peaceful” celebrations.
An appeals court recently overturned Hosni Mubarak’s life sentence over the deaths of protesters and ordered a retrial.
The 84-year-old former leader remains in detention at a military hospital.
On Thursday evening, police clashed with protesters who tried to remove barriers blocking a road to Tahrir Square.
The clashes continued overnight, as police fired tear gas at demonstrators camping on the square. At least eight people were wounded, officials said.
Mohamed Morsi’s Muslim Brotherhood party has not officially called for its own street rallies. It plans to mark the revolution by launching charitable and social initiatives.
Protesters began converging on Tahrir Square on Friday morning.
One of them, Hanna Abu el-Ghar, said: “We are protesting against the fact that after two years of the revolution, where we asked for bread, freedom and social justice, none of our dreams have come true.”
Egyptian police have clashed with protesters gathering in Tahrir Square in capital Cairo ahead of the second anniversary of the uprising that swept Hosni Mubarak from power
The liberal opposition accuses Mohamed Morsi of being autocratic and driving through a new constitution that favors Islamists and does not sufficiently protect the rights of women or Christians.
Ahead of the planned rally Mohamed El Baradei, a leading opposition figure and former head of the UN atomic agency, said is a statement: “I call on everyone to take part and go out to every place in Egypt to show that the revolution must be completed.”
The government is also being blamed for a deepening economic crisis.
The president has dismissed the opposition’s claims as unfair, instead calling for a national dialogue.
Mohamed Morsi and his supporters accuse their opponents of undermining democracy by failing to respect the Islamists’ victory in elections a year ago.
In a speech on Thursday marking the Prophet Muhammad’s birthday, President Mohamed Morsi called on Egyptians to celebrate the anniversary “in a civilized, peaceful way that safeguards our nation, our institutions, our lives”.
Last month, Mohamed Morsi described the new constitution as “historic” and also said that boosting Egypt’s economy was his priority.
The president also admitted that mistakes had been made but insisted he would never make a decision except in the interests of the country.
Egypt’s revolution:
- January 25, 2011: Campaign of mass protests against Hosni Mubarak launched
- February 11, 2011: Hosni Mubarak steps down as president, handing over to the military
- November 2011-January 2012: Parliamentary elections held; Islamists emerge as winners
- June 2, 2012: Hosni Mubarak convicted over killing of protesters and given life sentence
- June 17, 2012: Muslim Brotherhood’s Mohamed Morsi narrowly wins presidential election
- December 15, 2012: Constitution drafted by Islamist-led body approved in referendum
- January 13, 2013: Appeals court orders Hosni Mubarak retrial
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The United States have strongly criticized Egypt’s Mohamed Morsi for anti-Semitic remarks he apparently made before being elected president.
TV footage shows Mohamed Morsi in 2010 referring to Zionists as “bloodsuckers” and “descendants of apes and pigs”.
US officials want the leader to clarify his “deeply offensive” comments, which they say run counter to Middle East peace efforts.
Egypt receives around $1.5 billion in annual US military and economic aid.
The financial support is linked to Egypt’s peace treaty with Israel, which the US considers a cornerstone of regional stability.
The controversy erupted after the Washington-based Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) translated and released Arabic footage of interviews Mohamed Morsi gave in 2010, as a leader of the Muslim Brotherhood.
In the clip from Palestinian broadcaster Al-Quds TV, Mohamed Morsi referred to Jewish settlers as “occupiers of Palestine” and “warmongers”.
He called for a “military resistance in Palestine against these Zionist criminals assaulting the land of Palestine and Palestinian”.
Mohamed Morsi also denounced the Palestinian Authority, saying it was “created by the Zionists and American enemies for the sole purpose of opposing the will of the Palestinian people.”
The US have strongly criticized Egypt’s Mohamed Morsi for anti-Semitic remarks he apparently made before being elected president
In another interview, Mohamed Morsi urged Egyptians to “nurse our children and grandchildren on hatred”.
The US State Department said the comments should be repudiated.
“We completely reject these statements, as we do with any language that espouses religious hatred,” the department’s spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said.
“This kind of rhetoric has been used in this region for far too long. It’s counter to the goals of peace.”
The White House called the rhetoric “unacceptable in a democratic Egypt”.
“President Morsi should make clear that he respects people of all faiths,” spokesman Jay Carney told reporters.
However, both US officials also highlighted that Mohamed Morsi had shown his commitment to regional peace efforts since taking office in June last year.
The Egyptian leader helped broker a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas after violence flared up in Gaza in November.
And although he has been openly critical of Israel, Mohamed Morsi also pledged to abide by the peace treaty when he was voted into power.
“What he has been doing is supporting that peace treaty, continuing to work with us and with Israel on common goals, including in Gaza,” Victoria Nuland said.
“But we’ll also judge him by what he says.”
Egypt has been a key US ally since it signed the 1979 peace deal as part of the Camp David Accords.
But observers say fears remain that the new leadership might try to renegotiate the treaty.
“As long as peace and justice are not fulfilled for the Palestinians, then the treaty remains unfulfilled,” Mohamed Morsi told the New York Times shortly after winning the election last year.
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More than 60% of voters backed the new Egypt’s constitution in a referendum, although only a third of the electorate voted.
Critics say the new constitution favors Islamists and betrays the revolution.
President Hosni Mubarak was ousted from power in February 2011 after nearly 30 years of authoritarian rule.
After the referendum result was announced on Tuesday, dozens of anti-constitution protesters blocked one of the main bridges in the capital Cairo, setting tyres alight and stopping traffic.
Parliamentary elections must now take place within two months.
The political divisions surrounding the referendum have led to economic uncertainty and a reported rush to buy US dollars.
Currency exchanges in parts of Cairo were said to have run out of dollars. Before the result was announced, the authorities declared a limit of $10,000 for travelers into and out of Egypt.
On Monday, Egypt’s central bank issued a statement saying that the banks had “stable liquidity” to safeguard all deposits.
President Mohamed Morsi’s government will soon have to take some unpopular measures to prop up the economy, which could hurt his party at the ballot box.
On Tuesday, Muslim Brotherhood leader Mohamed Badie welcomed the referendum’s results, tweeting: “Congratulations to the Egyptian people on approving the constitution of revolutionary Egypt.”
Echoing his words, Prime Minister Hisham Qandil stressed that there was “no loser” in the vote and called for co-operation with the government to restore the economy.
More than 60 percent of voters backed the new Egypt’s constitution in a referendum, although only a third of the electorate voted
President Mohamed Morsi’s mainly Islamist supporters say that the new constitution will secure democracy and encourage stability.
But opponents accuse the president, who belongs to the Brotherhood, of pushing through a text that favors Islamists and does not sufficiently protect the rights of women or Christians, who make up about 10% of the population.
The US state department responded to the vote by urging all sides in Egypt to commit themselves “to engage in an inclusive process to negotiate their differences”.
In a direct appeal to President Mohamed Morsi, spokesman Patrick Ventrell said that as democratically elected leader he had a “special responsibility… to bridge divisions, build trust and broaden support for the political process”.
Turnout was 32.9% of Egypt’s total of 52 million voters, election commission President Samir Abul Maati told a news conference in Cairo.
Samir Abul Maati rejected opposition allegations that fake judges supervised some of the polling – one of several complaints relating to voting fraud made by the opposition National Salvation Front after each stage of voting.
Egypt has recently seen large demonstrations by both critics and supporters of the constitution, which have occasionally turned violent.
Before the first round of voting on December 15, the opposition considered boycotting the referendum before deciding to back a No vote.
Polling had to be held on two days because of a lack of judges prepared to supervise the process.
Egypt referendum result:
- Votes for constitution 10,693,911 (63.8%)
- Votes against 6,061,101 (36.2%)
- Turnout 32.9% (17,058,317 votes including 303,395 declared invalid)
Source: Egyptian election commission
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Egyptians are awaiting the official results of a referendum on a controversial draft constitution.
Early unofficial results suggested more than 60% of voters said “yes” to the document, which is endorsed by Islamist President Mohamed Morsi.
But the electoral commission must first investigate opposition allegations of voting fraud.
Egypt has seen large and occasionally violent demonstrations by the opposing sides in the past few weeks.
If the constitution passes, elections must take place within two months and the deep polarization in the country is likely to continue.
In the meantime, legislative powers will pass to parliament’s upper chamber, the Islamist-controlled Shura Council.
State media reports of the results following Saturday’s second and final round of the referendum suggested that some 63% of voters had backed the charter. Turnout was low, estimated at 30%.
Egyptians are awaiting the official results of a referendum on a controversial draft constitution
The electoral commission said it was compiling results from both rounds and that no time had been set for a confirmation of the outcome.
One member of the commission, Mohamed el-Tanobly, told Agence France-Presse it was examining all the allegations of irregularities so that the referendum “really reflects the will of the Egyptian people”.
The opposition National Salvation Front said on Sunday the vote had been marred by “fraud and violations”.
It said these included polling stations opening late, Islamists seeking to influence voters and a lack of judges to supervise.
Spokesman Amr Hamzawy told a news conference the National Salvation Front had urged the commission to investigate the irregularities but he also appeared to anticipate a “yes” vote.
He said: “We do not consider this constitution legitimate. We will continue to attempt to bring down the constitution peacefully and democratically.”
The opposition says the draft constitution fails to protect the freedoms and human rights that were sought in the uprising that ended Hosni Mubarak’s rule last year.
It accuses the president of pushing through a text that favors Islamists and does not sufficiently protect the rights of women or Christians.
But the Freedom and Justice Party, the political wing of Mohamed Morsi’s Muslim Brotherhood, said it hoped the “yes” vote would begin to heal divisions and bring stability.
On the Freedom and Justice Party Facebook page, its leader, Saad al-Katatni, wrote that its members were “extending our hands to all political parties and all national forces”, adding: “We will all start a new page.”
However, the crisis is continuing to affect the country’s economic status. On Monday, the ratings agency Standard and Poor’s downgraded Egypt’s long-term credit rating because of the ongoing tension.
Lowering the country’s long-term rating to B- from B, it said: “A further downgrade is possible if a significant worsening of the domestic political situation results in a sharp deterioration of economic indicators such as foreign exchange reserves or the government’s deficit.”
The latest unrest began after Mohamed Morsi issued a decree on November 22 stripping the judiciary of the power to challenge his decisions.
After an outcry, the president revoked much of the decree, but he refused to back down on the referendum on the draft constitution.
Egypt’s National Salvation Front has demanded an inquiry into the referendum on the draft constitution, citing fraud.
The National Salvation Front, Egypt’s main opposition, urged the election commission to investigate the “irregularities”.
Initial unofficial results indicate a “Yes” vote for a document which President Mohamed Morsi says will safeguard democracy.
The opposition says the constitution favors Islamists, and the referendum has highlighted bitter divisions.
The result is expected to be officially announced on Monday.
If the constitution passes, elections must take place within three months. In the meantime, legislative powers would remain with Mohamed Morsi.
State media reports of the results following Saturday’s second and final round of the referendum suggest that some 63% of voters had backed the charter. Turnout was estimated at 30%.
But the National Salvation Front said on Sunday the vote had been marred by “fraud and violations”.
These included polling stations opening late and Islamists seeking to influence voters, the opposition said.
Egypt’s National Salvation Front has demanded an inquiry into the referendum on the draft constitution, citing fraud
Spokesman Amr Hamzawy told a news conference in Cairo: “We are asking the commission to investigate the irregularities before announcing official results.”
Another spokesman, Khaled Daoud, said the Front would not contest the result, which it believed would be a “Yes”, but he said there was “serious fraud”.
The Front has complained that there was not enough legal supervision of the referendum – many judges had announced a boycott.
The opposition said before the referendum that its campaign would continue in the wake of a “Yes” vote.
Front member Abdel Ghaffer Shokr told Agence France-Presse on Sunday: “The referendum is not the end of the road. It is only one battle. We will continue the fight for the Egyptian people.”
But the Freedom and Justice Party, the political wing of Mohamed Morsi’s Muslim Brotherhood, said it hoped the “Yes” vote would begin to heal divisions and bring stability.
Opponents have said the draft constitution fails to protect the freedoms and human rights that they sought in the uprising that ended Hosni Mubarak’s rule last year.
They accuse the president of pushing through a text that favors Islamists and does not sufficiently protect the rights of women or Christians, who make up about 10% of the population.
President Mohamed Morsi’s mainly Islamist supporters say the constitution will secure democracy and encourage stability.
The latest unrest began after Mohamed Morsi issued a decree on November 22 stripping the judiciary of the power to challenge his decisions.
After an outcry, the president revoked much of the decree, but he refused to back down on the draft constitution.
The text was rushed through by a constituent assembly dominated by Islamists.
Egypt has seen large demonstrations by both sides, which have occasionally turned violent, ever since.
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Egypt’s vice-president Mahmoud Mekki has announced his resignation on the day the country completed its voting in a controversial referendum on a draft constitution.
Mahmoud Mekki, a former judge who was appointed vice-president in August, said the “nature of politics” did not suit his professional background.
Polls have now closed in the second leg of the referendum, which is widely expected to approve the draft.
However, opponents say this will not end the country’s unrest.
They say the constitution favors Islamists and betrays the revolution that overthrew Hosni Mubarak last year.
President Mohamed Morsi and his supporters say the document will secure democracy.
Late on Saturday, state television announced that the central bank governor, Farouq al-Uqdah, had also resigned from his post. However, a cabinet official later denied the report.
Mahmoud Mekki announced his resignation just hours before the end of voting in the second round of the referendum.
He said, in a statement read on television: “I realized a while ago that the nature of politics does not suit my professional background as a judge.”
Mahmoud Mekki, 58, said he had tried to resign on 7 November but that circumstances had forced him to remain.
The Israeli conflict in Gaza and President Mohamed Morsi’s controversial decree on November 22 granting himself sweeping new powers delayed his decision.
Mahmoud Mekki’s resignation statement indicated he had no prior knowledge of the decree, which stripped the judiciary of powers to question the president’s decisions.
He appeared to be giving the impression that he was unhappy with not being consulted on key decisions.
If, as expected, the draft constitution is passed, there may have been no role for Mahmoud Mekki as the document does not require the president to appoint a vice-president.
Egypt’s vice-president Mahmoud Mekki has announced his resignation on the day the country completed its voting in a controversial referendum on a draft constitution
Seven of Mohamed Morsi’s leading advisers have resigned over the past month, many indicating they had not been consulted over the president’s moves.
After an outcry, the president revoked much of the November 22 decree, but he refused to back down on the draft constitution.
The text was rushed through by a constituent assembly dominated by Islamists and boycotted by liberal and left-wing members, and facing a threat of dissolution by the country’s top court.
Egypt has seen mass demonstrations on both sides ever since.
However, voting in the second stage of the referendum appears to have gone relatively smoothly.
Some 250,000 security personnel were deployed nationwide to keep order.
Polling stations had been scheduled to close at 19:00 but remained open until 23:00. Voting was also extended in the first leg.
Ballots were cast in the 17 provinces that did not vote in the first round on 15 December.
Unofficial results are expected to come in over the next few hours.
Turnout was reported to be just above 30% in the first round, with unofficial counts suggesting some 56% of those who cast ballots voted in favor of the draft.
Official results are not expected until Monday, after appeals are heard. If the constitution passes, parliamentary elections must take place within three months.
Analysts suggest the document will be passed.
Egyptians casting votes in favor of the charter said they were voting for stability.
In the town of Fayoum, “yes” voter Hanaa Zaki told the Associated Press news agency: “I have a son who hasn’t got paid for the past six months. We have been in this crisis for so long and we are fed up.”
Opponents of the draft say it fails to protect the freedoms and human rights they sought in the uprising that toppled Hosni Mubarak. Some have also complained about the role given to Islamic clerics and what they say is a lack of a clear commitment to equality between men and women.
“I’m voting <<no>> because Egypt can’t be ruled by one faction,” Karim Nahas, a 35-year-old stock market broker voting early on Saturday in Giza, told Reuters news agency.
Opposition activists say there will be more unrest whatever the outcome.
One voter in Ikhsas village, Marianna Abdel-Messieh, agreed.
“Whether this constitution passes or not, there will be trouble,” she told AP.
“God have mercy on us.”
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Egypt begins voting in a second stage of a constitutional referendum that has sparked weeks of unrest in the country’s main cities.
Opponents of President Mohamed Morsi have held protests against the draft, saying it favors the Islamists now in power and betrays the revolution that overthrew Hosni Mubarak last year.
Mohamed Morsi’s supporters say the constitution will secure democracy.
Some 250,000 security personnel have been deployed nationwide to try to keep order during the referendum.
Tension over the document has helped to fuel weeks of violence, including clashes in Alexandria on Friday.
Turnout was reported to be just above 30% in the first round, with unofficial counts suggesting some 56% of those who cast ballots voted in favor of the draft.
Official results are not expected until Monday, after appeals are heard. If the constitution passes, parliamentary elections must take place within three months.
Ballots are being cast in the 17 provinces which did not vote in a first round on December 15.
The areas are seen as more conservative and sympathetic to Mohamed Morsi’s Islamist movement, the Muslim Brotherhood.
Analysts suggest this will favor a “Yes” vote.
“I’m voting <<No>> because Egypt can’t be ruled by one faction,” Karim Nahas, a 35-year-old stock market broker voting early on Saturday in Giza, told Reuters news agency.
Egyptians casting votes in favor of the charter said they were voting for stability.
Opponents of the draft say it fails to protect the freedoms and human rights that they sought in the uprising that toppled Hosni Mubarak.
Human Rights Watch says the draft provides for basic protections against arbitrary detention and torture, but fails to end military trials of civilians or to protect freedom of expression and religion.
Ahead of the second round, opposition politicians said they thought further violence was likely.
“I see more unrest,” said Ahmed Said, head of the liberal Free Egyptians Party and a member of the opposition coalition.
He said there had been “serious violations” on the first day of voting and that anger towards the president was growing.
Opposition figurehead Mohammed ElBaradei has urged people to vote against the charter.
“We know that if this constitution is passed, there will be no stability,” he said late on Thursday.
Egypt’s latest crisis began on November 22, when Mohamed Morsi issued a decree granting himself broad powers.
The decree stripped the judiciary of any power to challenge his decisions.
After an outcry, the president revoked much of the decree, but he refused to back down on the draft constitution.
The text was rushed through by a constituent assembly dominated by Islamists and boycotted by liberal and left-wing members, as it faced a threat of dissolution by the country’s top court.
Egypt has seen mass demonstrations on both sides ever since.
On Friday, Islamists clashed with secular rivals in Alexandria, hurling stones at each other outside a mosque.
Police formed lines and fired tear gas to keep the two groups apart.
The state news agency Mena quoted the health ministry as saying that 32 people had been injured.
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Fresh clashes have broken out in the Egyptian city of Alexandria on the eve of the second leg of voting in the country’s constitutional referendum.
Police fired tear gas as thousands of Islamists were met by a smaller group of protesters near a large mosque.
The Islamists back President Mohamed Morsi and his draft constitution. Opponents say the document has been rushed and does not protect minorities.
Alexandria voted in the first leg of a referendum that has split the nation.
The capital, Cairo, has also voted. Seventeen of the 27 provinces will cast ballots on Saturday.
Islamists in favor of the draft had called for a large rally outside the Qaed Ibrahim mosque in the centre of Alexandria.
They chanted “God is Great” and “With blood and soul, we redeem Islam”.
A smaller group of opponents chanted anti-constitution slogans and the two sides threw stones at each other.
Police formed lines to keep the groups apart and fired tear gas, with the unrest subsiding after about 90 minutes.
The state news agency Mena quoted the health ministry as saying that 32 people had been injured.
Last week an ultraconservative cleric was trapped in a mosque in Alexandria for 12 hours as his supporters battled opponents outside.
Some 250,000 security personnel have been deployed nationwide to try to keep order during the referendum.
Turnout for the first round of voting was reported to be low – just above 30%. Unofficial counts suggested some 56% of those who cast ballots voted “yes” to the draft.
The opposition has complained of a number of cases of fraud.
Analysts believe Saturday’s leg will favor a “yes” vote as the areas to vote are considered in general to be more conservative.
Egypt’s latest crisis began on November 22, when Mohamed Morsi adopted sweeping new powers in a decree, stripping the judiciary of any power to challenge his decisions.
The decree spurred protests and clashes between Mohamed Morsi’s supporters and opponents.
Under pressure, the president revoked much of the decree but only after a constituent assembly had voted through the draft constitution and it had been put to the referendum.
The opposition had demanded the referendum be postponed, saying the assembly had approved the draft despite a boycott by liberals, secularists and Christians, who believe it does not adequately protect women, freedom of expression or religion.
The opposition did not, however, call a boycott, instead urging its members to vote “no”.
If the constitution passes, elections must take place within three months. In the meantime, legislative powers would remain with Mohamed Morsi.
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Egyptians have begun voting on a new constitution endorsed by the Islamist president Mohamed Morsi, which has divided the country and sparked deadly unrest.
President Mohammed Morsi and his Muslim Brotherhood have campaigned heavily in favor of the draft document, which may define Egypt for years to come.
Opponents say it is poorly drafted and overly favors Islamists.
The opposition National Salvation Front coalition has accused the Muslim Brotherhood of trying to rig the vote.
However, the ballot, which is staggered over Saturday and a second day of voting in a week’s time, appears to be going smoothly with indications of a high turnout.
Many people said they were voting for the restoration of stability in Egypt.
Saturday’s voting takes place in Cairo, Alexandria and eight other provinces, a week before the rest of the country.
Some 250,000 security personnel have been deployed to safeguard a referendum in which more than 51 million people are registered to vote.
Polling reportedly had to be spread out because few judges were willing to supervise the referendum but human rights groups have expressed fears the results from the first round could sway the opinion of those voting in the second.
Egyptians have begun voting on a new constitution endorsed by the Islamist president Mohamed Morsi, which has divided the country and sparked deadly unrest
A constitution must be in place before elections can be held early next year.
Mohamed Morsi was elected president in June with just over half of the vote, more than a year after Hosni Mubarak was overthrown in a popular revolt in Egypt, the most populous country in the Arab world.
The referendum is more than a vote on obscure clauses – it is about whether Egypt should be an Islamic country or a secular one.
The simple ballot paper just asks if Egyptians support or oppose the new constitution. Supporters include President Mohamed Morsi, who voted near the presidential palace in the Cairo district of Heliopolis, the Muslim Brotherhood and most other Islamists.
Opponents include liberals and others who want a more secular future for Egypt. Some of them say the new constitution would take away some of the new freedoms hard won in last year’s revolution.
Voters interviewed by Reuters news agency in Cairo were hopeful the vote would bring some calm to Egypt.
“I see this as a positive step for the country… a good base that we can start to work from,” said one, Ahmed Gindy.
In the northern port city of Alexandria, where there were clashes on Friday between rival activists fighting with clubs, stones and other weapons, Mohamed Ewais explained why he was voting “No”.
“I cannot accept a constitution with very limited, very limited actually, rights for minorities, rights for women, rights for even children,” he told the Associated Press news agency.
“It’s not suitable for Egypt, actually. We are taking about a country that has been in place for over 210 years as a modern state.”
Outside Cairo the situation has been calm amid high turnout:
- In Alexandria, long queues formed at polling stations and voters complained about the waiting time
- In Mahalla, a city in the Delta that has seen big anti-Morsi demonstrations, polling stations were heaving with people, with heated political discussions outside the voting booths
- In Assiut, Upper Egypt, where the Muslim Brotherhood is popular, there was tight security from the police and military, including tanks guarding some polling stations
The violence in Alexandria reportedly broke out after a cleric at a mosque urged worshippers to vote “Yes”.
Clashes continued late into the evening, with police firing tear gas, and at least 15 people injured in the fighting.
President Mohamed Morsi has granted the army powers to arrest civilians.
Supporters of the draft constitution have accused the opposition of sowing “lies and discord” about the referendum.
The opposition National Salvation Front had vehemently opposed the referendum but this week said its supporters should go to the ballot boxes to vote “No”.
In a statement on Saturday, it expressed “deep concern… over the number of irregularities and violations in the holding of the referendum”.
This, it alleged, pointed to a “clear desire for vote-rigging by the Muslim Brotherhood”.
However, the Egyptian army’s chief of staff, Gen Sedky Sobhi, said he was satisfied with the situation inside and outside polling stations.
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President Mohamed Morsi has ordered the military to maintain security and protect Egypt institutions in the run-up to a controversial referendum on a new constitution.
The army has also been given the power of arrest.
Mohamed Morsi has tried to calm public anger by annulling a decree giving him huge powers, but rejected a call to scrap the 15 December constitutional vote.
Opposition leaders called for protests on Tuesday against the referendum.
The opposition was “not aiming at toppling the president” but wanted a better constitution, said former Foreign Minister Amr Moussa.
Islamist groups have said they will hold counter demonstrations, raising fears of further bloody clashes on the streets of the Egyptian capital.
In another apparent concession, the president suspended a big tax increase on the sale of a variety of goods including soft drinks, cigarettes and beer.
The decision was carried in a statement that appeared on Mohamed Morsi’s Facebook page in the early hours of Monday, state-owned al-Ahram newspaper reported.
As tension increased before Saturday’s referendum, Mohamed Morsi ordered the military to maintain security “up to the announcement of the results from the referendum”, AFP news agency reports.
The step will raise fears that Egypt is moving back towards military rule.
Under the new presidential decree, the military is asked to co-ordinate with the police on maintaining security and is also entitled to arrest civilians.
The police have been seen as weakened since the fall of former President Hosni Mubarak and failed to intervene when anti-Muslim Brotherhood protesters ransacked the Islamist movement’s Cairo headquarters last week, correspondents say.
An increased military presence was visible on Monday close to the presidential palace, which has been the focus of opposition demonstrations. The army has sealed off the area with concrete blocks.
It is not yet clear whether the opposition will boycott Saturday’s referendum. However, a group of senior judges announced on Monday that they would be prepared to oversee the vote, on certain conditions.
Votes in Egypt are traditionally supervised by the judiciary but the November 22nd presidential decree led thousands of judges to go on strike.
Mohamed Morsi has ordered the military to maintain security and protect Egypt institutions in the run-up to a controversial referendum on a new constitution
Now, with the decree rescinded, the State Council Judges’ Club has agreed to oversee the vote as long as pro-Morsi supporters call a halt to a sit-in outside Egypt’s Supreme Constitutional Court.
The court suspended work on 2 December, citing “psychological pressure” from Islamists who had prevented a meeting on a draft of the new constitution. The protesters had wanted to block a ruling on the legality of the document.
The opposition argues that the constitution was drafted by an assembly dominated by Mohammed Morsi’s Islamist allies.
In a statement after talks on Sunday, the opposition National Salvation Front said it would not recognize the draft constitution “because it does not represent the Egyptian people”.
“We reject the referendum which will certainly lead to more division and sedition,” spokesman Sameh Ashour said.
On Sunday, hundreds of opposition protesters protested against the referendum outside the presidential palace.
They chanted anti-Muslim Brotherhood slogans and held up banners reading slogans such as “Morsi, hold back your thugs” and “The people demand the fall of the regime”.
But Mohamed Soudan, foreign relations secretary of the Muslim Brotherhood’s Freedom and Justice Party, said Mohamed Morsi was constitutionally bound to go ahead with the vote because the date had been announced by the constituent assembly.
The president says he is trying to safeguard the revolution that overthrew Hosni Mubarak last year, but his critics accuse him of acting like a dictator.
Mohamed Morsi’s decree of 22 November stripped the judiciary of any right to challenge his decisions and triggered violent protests.
Although the decree has been annulled, some decisions taken under it still stand.
The general prosecutor, who was dismissed, will not be reinstated, and the retrial of former regime officials will go ahead.
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The Egyptian army has deployed tanks and armored troop carriers outside the presidential palace in Cairo after clashes between supporters and rivals of President Mohammed Morsi.
The streets of the capital are now reported to be calm following the earlier violence that left five people dead and hundreds injured.
Egypt is seeing growing unrest over a controversial draft constitution.
The government insists that a referendum will go ahead this month.
The clashes are possibly the most dangerous development in Egypt’s growing political crisis.
The violence, which opposition leaders accused Mohamed Morsi’s Islamist Muslim Brotherhood movement of organizing, was ominously reminiscent of the tactics used by former President Hosni Mubarak during the revolution.
Supporters of Mohamed Morsi responded to a call to rally outside the presidential palace, in the suburb of Heliopolis, on Wednesday afternoon.
The mainly secular opponents of the president were already staging a sit-in protest there, after tens of thousands of them besieged the palace on Tuesday.
Stones and petrol bombs were thrown and there were reports of gunfire as Morsi supporters dismantled some of the tents set up by their opponents.
The Brotherhood later called on all sides to “withdraw at the same time and pledge not to return there given the symbolism of the palace”.
Disorder was also reported in other cities, with Muslim Brotherhood offices attacked in Ismailia and Suez.
The Egyptian army has deployed tanks and armored troop carriers outside the presidential palace in Cairo after clashes between supporters and rivals of President Mohammed Morsi
In a joint news conference, Mohamed ElBaradei, Amr Moussa and other leading figures of the opposition National Rescue Front said they held Mohamed Morsi fully responsible for the violence.
“Our opinion was, and still is, that we are ready for dialogue if the constitutional decree is cancelled … and the referendum on this constitution is postponed,” said Mohamed ElBaradei.
“The revolution did not happen for this. It happened for freedom, democracy and human dignity.
“Morsi must listen to the people, whose voice is loud and clear. There is no legitimacy in excluding the majority of the people,” he said.
Speaking on Wednesday, Vice-President Mahmoud Mekki said the vote on the draft constitution was still scheduled for 15 December, but that the “door for dialogue” remained open, indicating that changes could be made to the document later.
Critics say the draft was rushed through parliament without proper consultation and that it does not do enough to protect political and religious freedoms and the rights of women.
The draft added to the anger generated by Mohamed Morsi passing a decree in late November which granted him wide-ranging new powers.
Four of Mohamed Morsi’s advisers resigned on Wednesday in an apparent protest. Three others did so last week and Egypt’s Mena news agency reported a further resignation on Thursday.
In his news conference, broadcast earlier on state television, Mahmoud Mekki said there was “real political will to pass the current period and respond to the demands of the public”.
But he said there “must be consensus” on the constitution, and that “the door for dialogue is open for those who object to the draft”.
“I am completely confident that if not in the coming hours, in the next few days we will reach a breakthrough in the crisis and consensus,” he said.
The government has been speaking for some time about the need for dialogue, but has offered few concrete concessions which would end the crisis.
Mohamed Morsi adopted sweeping new powers in a decree on 22 November, and stripped the judiciary of any power to challenge his decisions.
Mohamed Morsi, who narrowly won Egypt’s first free presidential election in June, says he will give up his new powers once the new constitution is ratified.
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Rival protesters in Egypt have clashed outside the presidential palace in Cairo, as unrest grows over a controversial draft constitution.
Petrol bombs were thrown and a number of people were injured, amid reports of shots being fired.
Supporters of President Mohamed Morsi dismantled tents set up outside the presidential palace by Morsi critics.
Vice-President Mahmoud Mekki has said a referendum on the draft will go ahead on 15 December despite the unrest.
But he indicated that changes could be made after the vote, saying the “door for dialogue” remained open.
He urged critics of the draft document to put their concerns in writing for future discussion.
Critics say the draft was rushed through parliament without proper consultation and that it does not do enough to protect political and religious freedoms and the rights of women.
The draft added to the anger generated by Mohamed Morsi passing a decree in late November which granted him wide-ranging new powers.
On Wednesday afternoon, supporters of Mohamed Morsi’s Muslim Brotherhood movement rallied outside the presidential palace, where the mainly secular opponents of the president were already staging a protest.
The pro-Morsi group chanted “The people want to cleanse the square” and “Morsi has legitimacy”, AFP news agency reported.
Stones and petrol bombs were thrown, before the Morsi supporters dismantled some of the tents set up by their opponents.
There were also reports of gunfire. Witnesses reported seeing a number of wounded people.
AFP said the anti-Morsi group had fled the area.
In a joint news conference, Mohamed ElBaradei, Amr Moussa and other leading opposition figures said they held Mohamed Morsi fully responsible for the violence.
Mohamed ElBaradei said they were “ready for dialogue, however we are ready to go to the streets”.
In a news conference broadcast earlier on state television, Mahmoud Mekki said there was “real political will to pass the current period and respond to the demands of the public”.
But he said there “must be consensus” on the constitution, and that “the door for dialogue is open for those who object to the draft”.
“I am completely confident that if not in the coming hours, in the next few days we will reach a breakthrough in the crisis and consensus,” he said.
He proposed that the opposition put their concerns about particular parts of the constitution into writing, but that this was “not a formal initiative but a personal idea”.
There are mixed messages coming from the government.
It has spoken about the need for dialogue for some time but has offered few concrete concessions which would end the crisis, he adds.
On Tuesday, tens of thousands of anti-Morsi demonstrators besieged the palace, clashing with police who fired tear gas.
Eighteen people were slightly injured in the brief burst of violence, the official Mena news agency reported.
At one point, the security forces issued a televised statement saying President Mohamed Morsi had left the building.
Many of those gathered outside the palace, in the suburb of Heliopolis, chanted slogans similar to those directed against the regime of former President Hosni Mubarak during the uprising in February 2011.
President Mohamed Morsi adopted sweeping new powers in a decree on November 22nd, and stripped the judiciary of any power to challenge his decisions.
Mohamed Morsi, who narrowly won Egypt’s first free presidential election in June, says he will give up his new powers once a new constitution is ratified.
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