BICOM

Leading opponents of Egypt’s President Mursi urged their supporters to vote against the draft constitution being proposed in a referendum scheduled to take place on Saturday. There had been talk of an opposition boycott of the vote.

Mursi, who represents the Muslim Brotherhood, was elected president in June in Egypt’s first poll since the fall of Hosni Mubarak’s regime. However, protests against his rule began last month after he appeared to grant himself extra-judicial powers. Unrest intensified after Mursi ordered that a draft of the country’s new constitution be hurriedly assembled in a marathon session of the Islamist-dominated constituent assembly. The document is widely viewed as the cornerstone of the new, democratic Egypt, which will outline the powers of the president, parliament, judiciary and military and will set out the role of Islamic law.

The country has been asked to approve or reject the draft constitution in a referendum on Saturday. While Mursi’s supporters view the document as key to the country’s stability and emerging democracy, it is bitterly opposed by those who see it as a power grab by Mursi. Speaking to America’s National Public Radio, prominent opposition leader and Nobel Peace prize laureate Mohammed ElBaradei rejected the document saying, “This is a defunct draft constitution that has been drafted by a committee that in no way represents the Egyptian people.” However, he explained that his supporters should vote against the draft constitution as “We do not want to boycott because they [Mursi’s supporters] might present that as a victory.”

The National Salvation Front, a loose coalition of liberal, leftist, and nationalist opposition forces including ElBaradei said on Wednesday that the referendum must be held with full judicial supervision, security of polling stations, national and international election monitors, an immediate vote-count after votes are cast, and a one day poll. It has been suggested that the referendum could take place in two stages a week apart, with many judges apparently refusing to oversee the vote. The opposition has indicated that it will not recognise the result of the referendum if its conditions are not met.