MB Downplays President’s Proposed Constitutional Amendments

During his meeting with members of the National Party today October 30, 2006, President Mubarak announced his approval of amendments of article 76 of the Constitution in the coming parliament term of session , but he declined to clarify the nature of this amendment. It is noted that the article is related to the president’s authority which raised a lot of hue and cry within the Egyptian political circles, with opposition parties and figures affirming that the recent amendments have been tailored to give way for inheritance of power.


In an exclusive statement to Ikhwanweb, Member of Muslim Brotherhood Executive Bureau Dr. Abdul Monem Abul Fotouh said that the group had early on rejected the first amendments and said that it has been concocted mainly in favor of specific persons in the ruling elite. Abul Fotouh downplayed the newly proposed amendments, depicting them as useless as long as the Egyptian regime persists with its dictatorial mindset. “ We in the Muslim Brotherhood call for repealing this article, with the President being chosen only through free, direct election’, Abul Fotouh said. Similar comments were made by Dr. Dhia Rashwan, the prominent researcher with Ahram Centre for Political and Strategic Studies, who stated to Ikhwanweb that it is the Egyptian government that passed the recent tailored amendments which work only in favor of specific figures,” We hope that President Mubarak’s approval to further amendments would put things right “, he said, adding that amendments are not needed just for the sake o of amendment. He also called on all political forces not to feel complacency over the amendment of this article only, pointing out that there are a number of articles in the constitution which need to be amended immediately.   

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