Reinstating Parliament

When President Mohamed Morsi ordered the reinstatement of the Islamist led- Parliament on Sunday, a month after it was dissolved by a ruling from the Supreme Constitutional Court, analysts and the public were divided in their reaction. According to Omar Ashour, Director of the Middle East Studies Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies at the
University of Exeter, the decision is not a negotiated outcome. He says that there were earlier talks on the constitutional declaration possibility of reinstating two third of parliament and dividing “power” ministries between pro-SCAF and pro-President, that apparently yielded nothing. The move is seen as challenging the military rulers and as a direct confrontation between the elect president and the SCAF who assumed legislative authority with a constitutional decree last month. “The decision renders the constitutional declaration void (the latter gives legislative power to SCAF). And therefore empowers the elected over the military […..] The decision withdraws (read overrules) decisions no. 350 (2012) of SCAF to disband parliament,” says Ashour. In a response to the presidential decree, Decision no. 11 (2012) the Supreme Constitutional court said on Monday that its rulings are binding for all institutions. The court had ruled on June 14th, that one-third of the members elected as independent of the lower house had been elected illegally. Following the decision, the military held an emergency meeting on the action but did not immediately respond, according to the official state news agency. “SCAF is in session now. It will probably challenge the presidential decision legally and military police will continue blocking MPs from entering the parliament building,” says Ashour, adding that the current reactions from the pro-SCAF figures and Mubarak regime figures are calling for an outright coup and toppling the president. Morsi also called for parliamentary elections to be held within 60 days of the approval of a new constitution, which is not expected before late this year. Parliament Speaker Saad El-Katatni, a prominent member of the Brotherhood’s political arm, the Freedom and Justice Party, said the assembly would reconvene within hours. Ashour is of the opinion that the Muslim Brotherhood probably prepared for this, as their Shura (Consultative Council) just finished its meetings on Sunday. Ashour also adds that Morsi seems to have some international backing and definitely international legitimacy, citing the president's meeting in Cairo with Deputy Secretary of State William Burns, who is said to have conveyed an invitation by President Obama to the new Egyptian leader to visit the U.S. during a United Nations meeting in September. At press time the High Constitutional Court  had released a statement to the effect that it had received several lawsuits challenging Morsy's move to bring back the dissolved parliament, reiterating, "The HCC is the sole arbiter in all disputes relating to the implementation of its judgments and decisions." Among those opposing Morsy's decision were failed presidential candidates Hamdeen Sabbahy and Abdel-Monem Abul-Fotouh. April 6, on the other hand announced their support for the decision