Lawmakers meet briefly in a symbolic stance
Egypt’s top court on Tuesday overturned a decree issued by newly-elected President Mohamed Morsy reinstating the Islamist-led parliament, which met by reconvening in open defiance of the military, even as power struggle between state institutions heightened.
Egypt’s Supreme Constitutional Court issued the ruling suspending President Morsy’s Sunday decree reinstating the People’s Assembly, the lower house of Egypt’s parliament.
The court ordered that its previous ruling be implemented.
The ruling came just hours after the parliament met for a session that lasted just 12 minutes in line with a presidential decree, in spite of cautious warnings from both the constitutional court as well as the military council.
The speaker, however, resisted from sending out brazen warring signals and said legislators were not trying to contradict the judiciary.
The parliament session opened this morning, with Speaker Saad al-Katatni arguing that President Mohamed Morsy had not violated the court order by reinstating parliament.
Al-Katatni declared he will refer the decision of the High Constitutional Court (HCC) to the Appeals Court, and said the parliament is aware of both its rights and responsibilities.
However, lawmakers from several liberal and leftists parties ‘boycotted’ the session, with some describing President Morsy’s move as a “constitutional coup“.
Al-Katatni said he desired to clearly stress that the aim of the restored house was not to challenge the Constitutional Court as the house “respects the law and judicial rulings“.
“We are not contradicting the ruling, but looking at a mechanism for the implementation of the ruling of the respected court,” he said in a brief statement, aired live on television.
Keywords: Egypt crisis
This is an entirely avoidable crisis created by the President. He
should have respected the ruling of the court, and sought to overturn
it before issuing a legally questionable decree. The military and the
court that dissolved the legislature have a degree of support from the
minorities, especially the Copts, the liberal and left-of-center
parties, because the Muslim Brotherhood is a questionable
organization. This foolish muscle-flexing will only drive a wedge
between the Muslims Brotherhood and Salafists on the one hand and the
liberals, leftists, and minorities on the other.
The entire Parliament could have been dismissed for a variety of
reasons. One could be that the President, as part of his electoral
campaign, gave an assurance of placing suitable safeguards in the
entire state machinery to ensure protection of minorities' rights.
Part of that promise has been violated by the Brotherhood by grabbing
seats earmarked for independents. There may well have been other such
violations
Why doesn't he sack the supreme court judges? I am sure he has the authority.
This was an avoidable crisis created by Generals and its lapdog
Judiciary. If the violation of condition of one third independent mps
took place, the judiciary could have ordered fresh elections only to
that extent, why dismiss the entire parliament? This way Brother-hood
has been further strengthened and an example setting opportunity to
establish an responsible democracy in Middle East lost. The world at
large certainly feels deeply anguished for people of Egypt for their
continued ordeal.
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