The Muslim Brotherhood’s Freedom and Justice party announced its intended participation in a mass demonstration planned for Friday April 20 that had originally been organized by April 6 and other secular groups citing as one of their grievances the Brotherhood’s alleged alliance with the SCAF. The April 6 Youth Movment and over 34 political groups have called for a “Friday of Determination” to push for six demands:  1) barring all former regime “remnants” from running in the presidential election; 2) completing the revolution’s objectives, foremost among them social justice; 3) the release of political prisoners; 4) amending article 28 of the interim constitution that bars challenges to election results; 5) reaching a consensus on the disputed constituent assembly; and 6) purge state institutions of Mubarak-era appointees.

ELECTIONS:

1) The SCAF has referred a law banning former regime members from running for the presidency to the Supreme Constitutional Court, a week after it was passed by parliament. [al-Ahram, English, 4/19/2012]

2) Amr Moussa has launched a 100-day plan focused on alleviating poverty and doubling Egypt’s GDP over ten years. Moussa warned that Egypt would be left with a one-party system if Mohamed Morsi, the Brotherhood’s candidate, wins. Moussa has pledged to serve for only one four-year term.  [UPI, English, 4/19/2012] [Reuters, English, 4/19/2012]

PROTESTS:

3) The Muslim Brotherhood’s Freedom and Justice party announced its intended participation in a mass demonstration planned for Friday April 20 that had originally been organized by April 6 and other secular groups citing as one of their grievances the Brotherhood’s alleged alliance with the SCAF. [al-Masry al-Youm, English, 4/19/2012]

4) A new coalition dubbed “the Second Revolution of Rage” has called for a march on April 19 ahead of mass demonstrations planned for Tahrir Square on Friday, April 20. The April 6 Youth Movment and over 34 political groups have called for a “Friday of Determination” to push for six demands:  1) barring all former regime “remnants” from running in the presidential election; 2) completing the revolution’s objectives, foremost among them social justice; 3) the release of political prisoners; 4) amending article 28 of the interim constitution that bars challenges to election results; 5) reaching a consensus on the disputed constituent assembly; and 6) purge state institutions of Mubarak-era appointees. [al-Shorouk, Arabic, 4/19/2012] [al-Ahram, English, 4/19/2012] [al-Ahram, English, 4/19/2012]

CONSTITUTION:

5) Political party representatives are scheduled to meet with Field Marshall Tantawi on April 22 to reach an agreement on procedures for reforming the constituent assembly. [al-Ahram, English, 4/19/2012]

6) Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) MPs attacked al-Azhar and the SCAF for trying to interfere with the selection of a new constituent assembly during a parliamentary session on April 18. The criticism came after Field Marshall Mohamed Hussein Tantawi’s meeting with major political leaders on April 16 concluded that the People’s Assembly speaker and the Shura Council chairman would sit with representatives of political parties to reach a consensus on the composition of a new constituent assembly. Al-Azhar officials had also offered to help negotiate a consensus.  In their statements on April 18, Wednesday, FJP MPs said they would not allow the SCAF or al-Azhar to usurp parliament’s right to select the constituent assembly. [al-Ahram, English, 4/19/2012]

EGYPT-ISRAEL RELATIONS:

7) Egypt’s Grand Mufti Ali Gomaa visited Jerusalem on April 18 for the first time, angering Salafi groups opposed to any step that might be viewed as recognizing Israeli control of the city. Mufti Ali Gomaa tweeted that he had visited Jerusalem, entering from the West Bank via Jordan and not from the Israeli side. Al-Azhar students are calling for mass protests against Gomaa this Friday, April 20.  [Haaretz, English, 4/19/2012] [al-Ahram, English, 4/19/2012]

Photo Credit: AP

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