Egypt’s Liberals Withdraw From Constitution Meeting

Egyptian liberals say they have walked out of a meeting to select nominees for a panel to write the country’s new constitution, charging that Islamists are trying to take seats allocated for secular representatives.

The walkout comes just days after the country’s ruling generals and 22 parties agreed Islamists will have half of the new panel’s seats.

Lawmaker Emad Gad of the liberal Free Egyptians Party says liberals left Sunday’s meeting after the country’s powerful Muslim Brotherhood and ultraconservative Salafist tried taking 50 of the 100 seats on the panel for themselves, and then pushing other Islamist parties into the places meant for seculars and civil society.

The constitution’s writing was delayed earlier this year when liberals pulled out in frustration with Islamist domination of the panel, according to CBS News.