Egypt court clears way for Shafiq to contest run-off

The Supreme Constitutional Court of Egypt has formally ruled that former Mubarak-era Prime Minister, Ahmed Shafiq, can go ahead and compete in the
upcoming presidential run-off election against Muslim Brotherhood candidate, Mohammed Mursi.

The court’s decision was made after judges considered the controversial Political Disenfranchisement Law, which could have seen Shafiq barred from continuing on to contest the elections, as unconstitutional.

In addition, Maher Samy of the Supreme Court said on Thursday said that both the upper and lower houses of parliament, the People’s Assembly and the consultative Shura Council, will be dissolved and declared null and void after the court ruled that the candidacy seats and
election of a almost a third of the members of parliament last year was also unconstitutional.

The Supreme Court had initially been tasked on the ruling of a law which barred former regime officials from participating in the
elections, and has now given Shafiq the clear to contest the upcoming run-off election.

The court was also asked to investigate and rule on validity of the parliamentary elections which took place last year, with some seats
reportedly being contested on the “first-past-the-post” system, which the court has now ruled as unconstitutional.

Most of those seats won under that system were won by Muslim Brotherhood candidates.

The court has now ordered parliament to be dissolved, highlighting the unconstitutional nature of the election of MP’s. However it is still unclear what would happen, as to who has the authority to dissolve parliament and order new
elections.

Some Egyptian analysts and law experts say that the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed forces will most probably have the authority to formally dissolve both houses of parliament, and call for new parliamentary polls within 60 days.

Upon hearing the verdict, clashed erupted outside the court building where the decision was announced. Hundreds of protesters chanted against the verdict and called for a renewed of the popular revolution which overthrew Hosni Mubarak last year.

news@theasian.asia