Postponing the presidential election until the body writing the new constitution finishes its work is unacceptable under any circumstance, said presidential hopeful Hamdeen Sabbahi Tuesday.
In a press statement, Sabbahi emphasized: “There is a binding date that has been announced for the handover of power to an elected president.”
Sahhabi’s remarks came after Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, head of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, met with the heads of around 20 political parties and several members of Parliament on Sunday. In the meeting, he requested that the constitution be written before 30 June, according to state-run news agency MENA.
“The Egyptian people, who endured more than a year and a half of mismanagement during the interim period to reach this moment in which they can elect their president, will never allow anyone to prolong the transitional period further or put off the handover of power,” the Nasserist candidate continued.
Sabbahi said the constitution should ideally be drafted before the presidential election begins. He blamed the Muslim Brotherhood for causing the current crisis over the new constitution, the writing of which was suspended by a court ruling earlier this month. Sabbahi added, however, that this standoff should not provide any justification to postpone the presidential contest.
