December 15, 2012

The constitution, with 63.8% of vote, with only 32.9% of the electorate voting, as compared to 51% who cast votes in the June 2012 presidential election, is officially drafted. Since the departure of former President Mubarak in early 2011, another step is taken to assert a thorough Islamic domination over Egypt’s political system. Rights of women, minorities, secularists, and institutions of government that could challenge Egypt’s new Islamicist oriented President Muhamad Morsi are slowing being eliminated. Lack of voter turnout in ratifying the new constitution is a public sign of protest against Morsi’s steady concentration of all power in his hands. Signs of changing Egypt’s foreign relations to either embrace Iran fully or empty the contents of Cairo’s 1979 peace treaty with Israel are not yet evident.