I tried to tell you. “Egypt Constitution-Writing Committee to Include 50 Lawmakers,” by Mariam Fam for Bloomberg, March 17:
Egypt’s Islamist-dominated parliament voted to include 50 of its lawmakers in a 100-member panel tasked with writing a new constitution, with the remainder coming from other institutions.
The results were read by Mohamed Saad el-Katatni, speaker of the lower house of parliament, according to footage of the session posted on the Cabinet’s Facebook page.
“The proposal that has received the most votes is the one stating that 50 percent of the composition of the constituent assembly comes from within parliament and 50 percent from outside parliament, including all institutions, civil society institutions and public personalities,” el-Katatni said.
The makeup of the committee has been the focus of wrangling over the degree of influence Islamist groups will have shaping the constitution. The Muslim Brotherhood’s party alliance makes up the largest bloc in the recently elected parliament, followed by a Salafi alliance. Salafis are followers of an austere interpretation of Islam….
Secular politicians and those concerned that Islamist parliamentarians will dominate the committee have called for the inclusion of members from outside the legislature.
The Brotherhood and its party have tried to assuage such fears. Mohamed Morsi, chairman of the Brotherhood’s Freedom and Justice Party, said in a statement last month that the group is “keen on the participation of all groups, institutions, parties and political and societal forces” in the drafting body….