The military, trying to stave off Sharia, dissolved the Parliament. But the Muslim Brotherhood President Morsi has called it back. This could be the occasion for the inevitable showdown, in which the military is at a distinct disadvantage because of the Brotherhood’s broad popular support. “Egypt parliament set to meet, defying army,” by Dina Zayed and Yasmine Saleh for Reuters, July 9:
CAIRO (Reuters) – Egypt’s parliamentary speaker said the chamber would reconvene on Tuesday after the new, Islamist president defied the generals by quashing their decision to dissolve the assembly last month.
Responding a day after Mohamed Mursi’s decree, the army on Monday defended its action to dissolve parliament and, in an apparent swipe at the president, said it was confident “all state institutions” would respect the constitution and the law.
The row, barely a week since Mursi took office, threatens new uncertainty for a nation whose economy is on the ropes and where many are anxious for an end to the political turmoil after 17 turbulent months since the fall of Hosni Mubarak.
Parliament speaker Saad al-Katatni, in remarks carried by the state news agency, said the lower house would sit from noon (1000 GMT) on Tuesday, in defiance of the army’s order to dismiss parliament a month ago, a move based on a court ruling.
Katatni, like Mursi, hails from the Muslim Brotherhood, the long-time adversary of Mubarak and the other military men who ruled Egypt for six decades until June 30, when power was formally handed over to Mursi by the army council.
“Early confrontation,” wrote Al-Akhbar newspaper, summing up Mursi’s decision which could end a brief honeymoon with the military council, led by Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi….