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| Mohamed Morsi signs Egypt's new constitution into law | Mohamed Morsi signs Egypt's new constitution into law |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Egypt's controversial new constitution has been signed into law by President Mohammed Morsi, a day after he announced it had been approved by a large majority in a referendum that his opponents claim was marked by widespread irregularities. | |
| Critics say the new constitution, which was hurriedly drafted by Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood and its Salafist allies, is undemocratic and too Islamist, and that it could allow clerics to intervene in the lawmaking process and leave minority groups without proper legal protection. | |
| Results of the two-part referendum, announced on Tuesday, showed that an overwhelming 63.8% of Egyptians had approved the text, paving the way for a parliamentary elections in about two months. | Results of the two-part referendum, announced on Tuesday, showed that an overwhelming 63.8% of Egyptians had approved the text, paving the way for a parliamentary elections in about two months. |
| The result is the Islamists' third straight electoral victory since the country's former autocratic leader, Hosni Mubarak, was toppled last year. | |
| The referendum passed, however, on a low turnout of 32.9% of Egypt's 52 million eligible voters, amid allegations – rejected by Mori's supporters – that "fake judges" had supervised some of the polling. | |
| In a news conference on Tuesday night, Sami Abu al-Maati, the head of the country's electoral commission, rejected claims by the largely secular opposition that the vote had been rigged. | |
| According to a spokesman for Egypt's presidency, Morsi signed the decree, making the constitution legally binding late on Tuesday night. | According to a spokesman for Egypt's presidency, Morsi signed the decree, making the constitution legally binding late on Tuesday night. |
| Although the new legal framework was supposed to be the cornerstone of the country's transition to democracy, its drafting has been deeply divisive. A number of key groups, including Coptic Christians and secular liberals, withdrew from the drafting process, saying it had been hijacked by the Muslim Brotherhood and its allies. | Although the new legal framework was supposed to be the cornerstone of the country's transition to democracy, its drafting has been deeply divisive. A number of key groups, including Coptic Christians and secular liberals, withdrew from the drafting process, saying it had been hijacked by the Muslim Brotherhood and its allies. |
| For his part, Morsi has tried to argue that adopting the text quickly was crucial to ending a protracted period of turmoil and uncertainty in Egypt that had badly damaged the country's economy. | For his part, Morsi has tried to argue that adopting the text quickly was crucial to ending a protracted period of turmoil and uncertainty in Egypt that had badly damaged the country's economy. |
| Hours before the referendum result was announced, the authorities imposed a ban on travelling in or out of the country with more than $10,000 (£6,200) in foreign currency, a move apparently intended to halt capital flight. | |
| The rules were introduced after some Egyptians began withdrawing their savings from banks in fear of tougher currency restrictions. | The rules were introduced after some Egyptians began withdrawing their savings from banks in fear of tougher currency restrictions. |
| After the announcement that the new constitution had been signed into law, Morsi moved quickly to swear in new members of the country's shura council – the upper house of parliament – which he protected from dissolution by decree last month. | |
| The council currently includes 270 members, 90 of whom were appointed by Morsi on Monday, and will have legislative authority until a new lower house of parliament is elected. | The council currently includes 270 members, 90 of whom were appointed by Morsi on Monday, and will have legislative authority until a new lower house of parliament is elected. |
| The Islamist-dominated council is expected to draft a law regulating the forthcoming parliamentary elections. Other items on the agenda may include laws on protests and the media. Top of the agenda, however, will be the country's economic woes. | |
| The government has begun a series of meetings with business people, trade unions, non-governmental organisations and other groups to convince them of the need for tax increases and spending cuts to resolve the financial crisis. | |
| "The government calls on the people not to worry about the country's economy," the parliamentary affairs minister, Mohamed Mahsoub, said in a speech to the council. | "The government calls on the people not to worry about the country's economy," the parliamentary affairs minister, Mohamed Mahsoub, said in a speech to the council. |
| "We are not facing an economic problem but a political one, and it is affecting the economic situation. We therefore urge all groups, opponents and brothers, to achieve wide reconciliation and consensus." | "We are not facing an economic problem but a political one, and it is affecting the economic situation. We therefore urge all groups, opponents and brothers, to achieve wide reconciliation and consensus." |
| Morsi will address the council on Saturday in a speech that is likely to be dominated by economic policy. |