Mohamed Morsy said on Wednesday that he will uphold the Supreme Constitutional Court’s decision to dissolve the People’s Assembly.
The move seems to temper tensions between the judiciary and President Morsy who have been locked in legal wrangling over the dissolution of parliament and its reinstatement. The statement seemed to indicate that Morsy was compromising in the wake of the SCC ruling on Tuesday that revoked his reinstatement of the People’s Assembly. Crowds thronged to Tahrir Square by the thousands to express their anger with the ruling after it was announced.
Morsy said in a written statement that he respects the constitution and the law, appreciates the “honourable judges of Egypt,” and that will respect the verdicts of Egyptian courts.
“Decree 11 of 2012 reversing the decision to dissolve the People’s Assembly, calling it to session, and setting a date for new parliamentary elections 60 days after the passing of the new constitution and drafting a new elections law was made in order to respect the rulings of the judiciary and the Supreme Constitutional Court,” the statement said.
The SCC had ruled that the parliamentary elections law was unconstitutional back in June and based on that ruling the People’s Assembly, the lower house of parliament, was dissolved.
Morsy issued a decree on Monday reversing the dissolution People’s Assembly and calling it to session. The SCC ruled that Morsy’s decision was invalid as it went against its verdict and ordered it reversed.
The statement explained that the goal of the decision was to determine a suitable time for the implementing of the SCC’s verdict while preserving the interests of the people, the good of the nation and maintain the continuity of state institution, specifically the elected People’s Assembly, who were ordered back to perform their roles so that there would be no legislative vacuum.
“If the Supreme Constitutional Court’s decision yesterday gets in the way of the assembly resuming its duties then we will respect that because we are state of law governed by the rule of law and respect for state institutions,” the statement added.
“We will consult with political forces, state institutions and the Supreme Council of Legal Bodies in order to determine a road map that allows safe exit from this scene so we can get past this stage the nation is going through and fix all problems and discuss what will happen in the next stage and in the future until there is a new constitution,” it concluded.
