GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood party is calling two decisions taken by the Egyptian Supreme Court a “coup”. The court Thursday 14 June dissolved parliament, saying 2011 elections were unconstitutional. It also agreed to allow a former Mubarak-era prime minister and army officer to remain in the race for president.
The decisions taken by the Supreme Constitutional Court, which is dominated by judges appointed by ousted President Hosni Mubarak, come three days before Sunday’s presidential elections. Muslim Brotherhood candidate Mohammed Mursi will face former Mubarak-era Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq.
The dissolution of parliament returns legislative power to the Supreme Council of Armed Forces, which assumed power following the fall of President Mubarak. Following elections in November 2011 and January 2012, parliament has been dominated by the Islamist Muslim Brotherhood party.
“For many Egypt watchers, this amounts to a soft military coup through the proxy of the country’s most important court,” the Economist wrote 15 June.
In a sign of defiance to the decision to dissolve parliament, deputy speaker Ashraf Thabet said that parliament would continue its session next Tuesday.
Egypt Daily News reports that liberal and leftist activists who backed last year’s uprising against Mubarak and the Muslim Brotherhood are promising renewed street protests.
Links to other sources: Aljazeera, BBC, Reuters, Bangkok Post
