Egypt’s PM: New Constitution By End Of September

Egypt’s Prime Minister, Hisham Kandil, said on Saturday that a draft of the country’s new constitution will be ready for approval by nationwide referendum by the end of September.

The state-run MENA news agency reported that the Constituent Assembly, tasked with drafting the constitution, is yet to announce a final date for the completion of the draft. Kandil does not officially represent the drafting body, noted the report.

Egypt’s 1971 constitution was suspended when former president Hosni Mubarak resigned in February 2011. The new constitution will be submitted to the Egyptian people for majority approval before it is officially adopted.

The website of the Egyptian newspaper Al-Ahram noted that the assembly writing the charter remains at risk of dissolution, pending a court ruling slated for September.

If the Constitutional Assembly is found unconstitutional and dissolved, Egypt’s President Mohammed Morsi will be entitled to form a new body to draft the charter.

The constitutionality of the Constituent Assembly has been brought into question because it was appointed by Egypt’s Parliament, whose lower house was dissolved after a ruling from the High Constitutional Court.

Israelnationalnews