Tug-of-war over Egypt’s parliament ensues

Yesterday, Egypt’s Islamist president Muhammad Morsi countered the judiciary and the military by reinstating the Islamist-led Parliament. Today, the judiciary insisted that no, they really meant it, and non-Islamist MPs have decided to boycott the reinstated Parliament.

Egypt’s high court reaffirmed that its decision to dissolve parliament was final and binding. Over the weekend, the newly-elected President Mohammed Morsi had called parliament back into session defying the court’s earlier decision.

Reporting from Cairo, Kimberly Adams told our Newscast unit that this sets up a "political showdown."

"Some analysts claim Morsi’s decree doesn’t contradict the judicial ruling— which said some of the members of parliament were elected illegally — it just reverses the way the ruling military generals interpreted that ruling," Adams reported. "The generals decided because some of the parliament was elected illegally, the entire People’s Assembly should be disbanded. President Morsi says the Islamist-led body should serve until there is a new constitution."

Parliament is scheduled to reconvene Tuesday.

Another big development is that some parliamentarians have said they will boycott the session.

Morsi’s Islamist Parliament would likely take the lead in crafting a new constitution for Egypt. Is it any wonder that Morsi wants his ideological compatriots in power until the new constitution is developed?

Related articles:

1. Egypt: Morsi reinstates “unconstitutional” Parliament
2. Egypt’s electorate between rock and hard place
3. No prayers in Egyptian Parliament but daily prayers in Westminster Parliament
4. What now, Egypt?
5. Egypt’s voting begins tomorrow. Secularist or Islamist?