Egyptian president defies military

Egypt’s president has ordered the country’s Islamist-dominated parliament to reconvene in defiance of a military decree dissolving the legislature last month, following a court ruling a third of its members were illegally elected.

The surprise move by the Islamist Mohammed Morsi yesterday will almost certainly lead to a clash with the powerful generals who formally handed power to him on Jun 30 after spending 16 months at the nation’s helm following the removal of Hosni Mubarak in a popular uprising.

The decree by Morsi, a long-time Muslim Brotherhood member, also called for new parliamentary elections to be held within 60 days of the adoption of a new constitution for the country, which is not expected before late this year.

Last month, the then-ruling military generals dissolved the legislature based on the ruling by the Supreme Constitutional Court, the country’s highest tribunal. The military announced a “constitutional declaration” on Jun 16 that gave it legislative powers in the absence of parliament and stripped Morsi of much of his presidential authority. It also gave the generals control over the process of drafting a new constitution and immunity from any civilian oversight.

Morsi came to power after narrowly defeating Mubarak’s last prime minister, Ahmed Shafiq, in a June 16-17 runoff. He was declared the winner on June 24. He symbolically took the oath of office five days later at Tahrir Square, birthplace of the revolt that toppled Mubarak’s regime.

Egypt’s official news agency said the generals were holding an “emergency meeting” to discuss the decision by the president to recall the parliament.