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Egypt Court Voids Parliament Mandates, Clears Shafiq For Presidential Race

June 14, 2012

Egypt's Supreme Constitutional Court has issued a pair of rulings that are likely to have far-reaching repercussions on the country's fledgling post-Mubarak political scene.

Officials in Egypt say the lower house of that country's national parliament will be dissolved after the court ruled on June 14 that one-third of the deputies in the Islamist-dominated chamber had been elected illegally.

In a separate decision the same day, the court also ruled that Hosni Mubarak's last prime minister, Ahmed Shafiq, may run in the presidential elections this weekend.

The parliamentary ruling was reportedly based on evidence that some of the rules under which the recent parliamentary elections were held were unconstitutional.

The parliamentary vote was the first free polling since Mubarak, who had ruled the country for 30 years, was ousted in mass protests in February 2011.

In its ruling on the elections, the court said allowing political parties' candidates to run as independents was unconstitutional.

Under Egypt's complicated election legislation, two-thirds of the seats in parliament were contested on a proportional list system; the rest were allocated for independents.

The official MENA news agency quoted the court saying that "the parliamentary elections were not constitutional, and the entire composition of parliament has been illegitimate since its election."

State television said Egypt's ruling military council was holding an emergency meeting to discuss the consequences of the ruling.

Presidential Runoff

In the eagerly awaited decision on the presidential race, the court rejected a law barring anyone who held a senior post under Mubarak from running for public office.

Shafiq is facing the Muslim Brotherhood candidate, Mohammed Mursi, in the runoff on June 16 and 17.

The runoff election this weekend has polarized the country. Many view Shafiq as a symbol of Mubarak's authoritarian rule, while others fear Mursi will try to impose an Islamist agenda.

Mursi was first with 24.8 percent of the vote in the first round last month. Shafiq was second with 23.7 percent.

The military, which has ruled the country since Mubarak's ouster, deployed hundreds of police and troops outside the Constitutional court for the June 14 decisions.

Hundreds of demonstrators had gathered outside the court ahead of the rulings, with many urging the court to disqualify Shafiq.

Mursi had said the Brotherhood would respect the court's ruling.

With reporting by Reuters, AP, AFP, and BBC

Source: http://www.rferl.org/content/shafiq-cleared-egypt- presidential-race-parliament-seats-voided/24614445.html

Copyright (c) 2012. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.