Constitutional battleground

Next November's presidential election is increasingly being fought as a battle over the constitution, reports Gamal Essam El-Din

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Keeping options open Who can speak for the public?

The ongoing battle over political and constitutional reform between the ruling National Democratic Party (NDP) and the opposition reached new heights this week when the three political figures -- sociologist Saadeddin Ibrahim, feminist writer and activist Nawal El- Saadawi and former MP Mohamed Farid Hassanein -- who have announced their intentions to run for the presidency said they intended to launch a petition, with a target of one million signatures, demanding radical constitutional reforms. Not to be outdone the Defence of Democracy Committee (DDC) unveiled its own draft amendments to the 34- year-old constitution, radically reducing presidential prerogatives and effectively making the holder of the office accountable to a democratically elected parliament.

While the DDC's draft constitution is careful to stress that Egypt will remain a presidential republic, with the president wielding the bulk of executive power, a second constitution, presented by the Al-Ghad (Tomorrow) Party, seeks to transform Egypt into a parliamentary republic, reducing the office of president to a largely ceremonial role and investing real power in the office of prime minister. Under the Al-Ghad constitution the prime minister will be the leader of the party that wins the largest number of parliamentary seats following democratic elections.

According to Al-Ghad's chairman, MP Aymen Nour, the existing constitution -- ratified in September 1971 -- leaves Egypt neither a presidential nor a parliamentary republic. "It makes of Egypt an autocratic monarchy in which the prerogatives of the president are similar to those enjoyed by the monarchy in the pre-1952 period. They are unencumbered by either parliamentary or judicial balances. The president "stands in a privileged position, monopolising power and remaining in office without any limits on the possible term," Nour told Al-Ahram Weekly.

According to the explanatory note attached to Al-Ghad's draft constitution and submitted to parliamentary speaker Fathi Sorour on Sunday, the existing constitution denies the people any role in choosing their government. Since the NDP's promises for political reform have turned out to be nothing more than "propaganda for local consumption", the note continues, the arguments for a new constitution turning Egypt into a parliamentary republic have never been so compelling. "A parliamentary republic is the form of government that best gives the people an effective and direct say in electing their rulers and ensuring power rotates among political parties," the note said.

For constitutional amendments to be considered by parliament the support of a third of MPs is required. Nour revealed that he, along with seven MPs, plan to ask speaker Sorour to submit the proposed constitution to a vote. And replicating the tactics formulated by the three presidential hopefuls, Al-Ghad also plans to make its draft constitution the centre of a public relations drive.

"We plan to collect one million signatures through e-mails and mail and even by inviting people to come to the party's headquarters in person to furnish their signatures," Nour said.

In addition to presenting draft constitutions as part of the campaign for sweeping political reform ahead of next spring's presidential and parliamentary elections, the opposition has opened up a second front against the NDP. After being refused permission to organise public rallies in Cairo six times the so- called consensus group -- including the Wafd, Tagammu and Nasserist parties -- have turned their attention to the Delta city of Mansoura. On 13 January they agreed that mobilising public opinion behind sweeping political and constitutional reforms would top their immediate agenda.

"We are betting on the support of the Egyptian people and we are sure we are betting on a winning horse," Mahmoud Abaza, deputy chairman of the Wafd Party, said. Diaaeddin Dawoud, the leader of the Nasserist Party, went further, criticising the NDP's rejectionist stand towards constitutional amendments as an attempt to ensure that the prerogatives enjoyed by its leading members were not circumscribed by legislation or judicial controls.

"We are an opposition that knows no red lines in mobilising the people in favour of radical democratisation of Egypt," Dawoud added.

The leaders of the three consensus parties were scheduled to meet on Tuesday with NDP leaders Safwat El-Sherif and Kamal El-Shazli, to prepare for the national dialogue scheduled to begin in the last week of January.

Also challenging NDP hegemony is Kifaya, or the Egyptian Movement for Change, a loosely knit grouping of political activists who on Tuesday protested in front of a downtown theatre against the nomination of President Hosni Mubarak for another six-year term in office.