EGYPT: Egypt's interim President Adly Mansour announces that a referendum on a new constitution will be held in mid-January next year

Record ID: 863528

  • Title: EGYPT: Egypt's interim President Adly Mansour announces that a referendum on a new constitution will be held in mid-January next year
  • Date: 14th December 2013
  • Summary: CAIRO, EGYPT (DECEMBER 14, 2013) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF TRAFFIC IN DOWNTOWN CAIRO EXTERIOR OF CAFE MEN SITTING IN CAFE EGYPTIAN VOTER, SAID TALIB (LEFT), SMOKING SHISHA WITH FRIEND (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) EGYPTIAN VOTER, SAID TALIB, SAYING: ''Yes. Yes for the good of the country. We are not going to vote like the previous time when the Brotherhood controlled the country and the state collapsed. God willing we will vote 'yes' because this constitution will move the country forward.'' (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) EGYPTIAN VOTER, SHERIF GEBELI, SAYING: ''I'm not voting, I will go shopping instead. There is no difference between this constitution and the previous one. And I am against civilians being tried in military courts, there is no justice in this.'' MEN SITTING IN CAFE VARIOUS OF TRAFFIC IN STREETS
  • Embargoed: 29th December 2013 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Egypt
  • City:
  • Country: Egypt
  • Topics: Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVAD45ZKHLJXLWWEP0J2V81DIXJC
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  • Story Text: Egyptians have been called to vote in a referendum on a new constitution to be held on January 14 and 15 next year.
    Speaking on national television on Saturday (December 14), Egypt's Interim President Adly Mansour announced the vote.
    The new constitution will be the first step in the army's political transition plan that should conclude with parliamentary and presidential elections next year.
    The draft document would strengthen the army's independence and put more restrictions on the formation of religious political parties.
    About 50 million Egyptians of the population of 85 million have the right to vote in the poll.
    One voter, Said Talib, said he would definitely vote 'yes'.
    ''Yes. Yes for the good of the country," he said. "We are not going to vote like the previous time when the Brotherhood controlled the country and the state collapsed. God willing we will vote 'yes' because this constitution will move the country forward."
    Fellow voter Sherif Gebeli, said he would not be voting.
    "I will go shopping instead. There is no difference between this constitution and the previous one. And I am against civilians being tried in military courts, there is no justice in this,'' he said.
    A 50-member assembly named by interim President Adly Mansour earlier this month finalised the draft of the new constitution. It would replace one passed in a vote last December by former President Mohamed Mursi, ousted by the army in July following protests against his rule.
    Islamists won all elections that took place last year following the fall of autocratic President Hosni Mubarak in 2011
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