Political Reform

Egypt’s New Constitution: Fulfilling the Revolution’s Goals?

On December 11, 2013, the Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East hosted a discussion of Egypt’s draft constitution with Nathan Brown of George Washington University and Sahar Aziz of Texas A&M University School of Law. The Hariri Center’s Deputy Director for Regional Programs Mirette F. Mabrouk moderated the discussion.

Key Questions on Egypt’s Upcoming Constitutional Referendum

As Egypt prepares to go to a constitutional referendum in January, details have begun to emerge on party positions on the constitution, security measures for the referendum, and who will be monitoring in Egypt’s polling stations. With the final draft of the constitution submitted to interim president Adly Mansour, he has 30 days to call […]

The Aspirations of Egypt’s Forgotten Atheists and Shiites

By Fady Salah

The new amendments in Egypt’s 2012 controversial constitution succeeded in satisfying the Nubian and Amazigh minorities living in Egypt. Nubian novelist Haggag Oddoul, who represented Nubians in the fifty-member assembly amending the constitution and Amany El-Wesahy, the head of Egypt’s Amazigh community told EgyptSource the new constitution emphasizes Egypt’s cultural diversity and protects the rights […]

The ‘New’ Draft Constitution Part I: A Flawed Beginning

By Yussef Auf

As the fifty-member committee tasked with amending the suspended 2012 Constitution has finished its work, criticism of the committee, its formation and its amended text have continued. Undoubtedly, the most significant criticism of the committee is the fact that it was appointed by the July 3 authority responsible of theouster of former president Mohamed Morsi. […]

Highlights from Egypt’s Draft Constitution (Part 1)

By Mai El-Sadany

In preparation for a popular referendum which will take place on Egypt’s newest Constitution within thirty days of formal approval, the fifty-member Constituent Assembly appointed by interim President Adly Mansour began to vote on the full text of its draft Constitution on November 30, 2013. The work of the Assembly, which began on September 8, […]

Military Trials for Civilians: Justice Denied

By Mai El-Sadany

With discussions up to the last minute, the fifty-member Constituent Assembly, tasked with re-writing Egypt’s Constitution, has made a final decision on one of the body’s most contentious issues: military trials for civilians.  On November 20, the Assembly voted in favor of maintaining military trials for civilians, despite the significant implications that such a decision […]

The Forgotten Minorities: Egypt’s Nubians and Amazigh in the Amended Constitution

By Fady Salah

A mere four months after former president Mohamed Morsi’s ouster and the announcement of the July 3 political roadmap, Egypt is almost done with the first phase: amending the controversial 2012 constitution. An attempt to better understand the direction in which the fifty-member assembly is taking Egypt requires examination of several crucial issues within the […]