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BBC News Middle East
22 November 2012 Last updated at 18:59 GMT
Egypt's President Mursi assumes sweeping powers
Egypt's President Mohammed Mursi has issued a declaration banning challenges to
his decrees, laws and decisions.
The declaration also says no court can dissolve the constituent assembly, which
is drawing up a new constitution.
President Mursi also sacked the chief prosecutor and ordered the retrial of
people accused of attacking protesters when ex-President Mubarak held office.
Egyptian opposition leader Mohammed ElBaradei accused Mr Mursi of acting like a
"new pharaoh".
Mr ElBaradei said the new declaration effectively placed the president above
the law.
"Mursi today usurped all state powers and appointed himself Egypt's new
pharaoh. A major blow to the revolution that could have dire consequences," the
Nobel Peace Prize winner wrote on his Twitter account.
Earlier this year, Mr ElBaradei had called Egypt's political process "the
stupidest transition in history".
Mr Mursi may feel he has gained power through his role as international
mediator in the Gaza conflict, but at home he faces increasing criticism, the
BBC's Jon Leyne in Cairo reports.
Thousands of protesters demanding political reforms and the prosecution of
security officials, blamed for killing demonstrators last year, have returned
to the streets around Cairo's Tahrir Square over the past week.
Many feel that Egypt is missing political guidance, our correspondent says.
The appointment of a new prosecutor could be seen as an attempt by Mr Mursi to
quell the protesters' dissatisfaction.
But the new declaration is likely to be hotly contested by the judges who will
view it as an attack on the courts' independence, our correspondent adds.
Talaat Ibrahim will replace Abdel Maguid Mahmoud as chief prosecutor.
Mr Mahmoud's acquittal of officers allegedly involved in attacks on protesters
led to violent clashes in Tahrir Square in Cairo in October, when supporters
and opponents of President Mursi clashed.
The president tried to remove Mr Mahmoud from his post by appointing him envoy
to the Vatican, without giving an official reason for the switch.
But Mr Mahmoud defied the Egyptian leader and returned to work, escorted by
judges and lawyers.
His refusal to comply was seen as a big defeat for Mr Mursi's push to steadily
consolidate power.
The new prosecutor is now tasked with re-conducting all the investigations led
by Mr Mahmoud into the alleged attacks on protesters, and re-trying people
already acquitted in the case.
President Mursi said his decree was aimed at "cleansing state institutions" and
"destroying the infrastructure of the old regime".
The declaration also gives the 100-member constituent assembly two additional
months to draft a new constitution, to replace the one suspended after
President Mubarak was overthrown.
The re-write of the constitution, which was meant to be finished by December,
has been plagued by dozens of lawsuits questioning the make-up of the
constituent assembly.
Once finished, the document should then be put to a referendum. If it is
approved, legislative elections will be held two months later.
Last month, the Supreme Constitutional Court rejected a first draft released by
the assembly, saying that it tried to limit the courts' powers and interfere in
judicial affairs.
The re-writing process had already been slowed by a court ruling in April
suspending the first constituent assembly, amid accusations that it was
dominated by Islamists.
In June, political parties agreed on the make-up of a new panel, which included
a range of politicians, members of the armed forces, police, judiciary and
trade unions, as well as Muslim and Christian leaders.
However, liberals continued to complain about the distribution of seats and
have not withdrawn their 43 legal challenges to the assembly's constitutional
legitimacy.
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