Egypt: New constitutional annex within 48 hours, says official source

Al Ahram reports: A new constitutional annex defining the powers of Egypt’s incoming president will be in place within the next 48 hours and before presidential election runoff results are officially announced Thursday, an official source close to the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) told Ahram Online.

According to the source, the annex will give the new president the power to appoint the prime minister, ministers and their deputies, state representatives at home and abroad, civil servants, military attaches and diplomats.

The new president will also have the authority to call parliamentary elections and joint sessions of the People’s Assembly and Shura Council.

The High Constitutional Court on Thursday declared the parliamentary elections law, under which the first parliament was elected, unconstitutional. The ruling resulted in the immediate dissolution of the Islamist-dominated People’s Assembly. Fresh elections should take place within 60 days.

The new annex is expected to amend article 30 of the constitutional declaration, issued by the SCAF in March 2011, which would allow the coming president to take the presidential oath of office before the High Constitutional Court instead of parliament.

The president will also be able to grant pardons.

According to the source, the SCAF will not be handing over all its powers to the elected president and will retain the legislative role until a new parliament is elected. It will also preserve the right to approve the general budget.

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