Back Assembly welcomes the transition in Egypt, but points to "real obstacles for democracy"

Strasbourg, 28.06.2012 – Whilst welcoming the election of the first civilian President in Egypt as a "historical step in the country's transition to democracy", the PACE today expressed its deep concern about recent developments which constitute "real obstacles to a slowly emerging democracy" in Egypt.

These obstacles include the dissolution of parliament, the constitutional changes enacted by the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (granting legislative power to the army and stripping the President of powers in the field of the budget and foreign and defence policy) and the questionable independence and impartiality of the Constitutional Court.

The text adopted, based on the proposals of Jean-Charles Gardetto (Monaco, EPP/CD), also points out that the fundamental challenges lying ahead include the eventual design of the balance of powers, how the army will share power with the President, and the role of women and of religious minorities. (more...)

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