Egypt's Morsi revokes emergency decree

Updated 8:41 PM ET

(CAIRO) In Egypt, the chaos on the streets appears to have forced President Mohammed Morsi's hand. He has revoked last month's emergency decree, giving up the power that essentially placed him above the law. But he's insisting next Saturday's referendum on a new constitution goes ahead as planned.

The partial climb down came after a day-long meeting that had been called for all parties, but the opposition boycotted.

It followed a dire warning from the military that anything other than dialogue among the political parties would "force us into a dark tunnel with disastrous consequences".

But the bickering is likely to go on.

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Morsi still needs to form a workable coalition, said Khalid Fahmy of the American University of Cairo.

"He is the democratically-elected president," said Fahmy, "but sadly, he is not acting as a president. He is acting as a representative of the Muslim Brotherhood."

And both sides need to curb the excesses of their supporters.

The Muslim Brotherhood's head office was wrecked a few days ago by opposition supporters, an act the former supreme leader Mahdy Akef called criminal.

"What is happening in Egypt is not Egypt,"he said.

Street violence has both driven and inhibited the political process. Opposition supporters laid virtual siege to the presidential palace and are threatening further unrest if the president doesn't back down.

"The opposition is helpless and is divided, and is without a vision," said Fahmy.

That leaves the streets as the forum for what passes for political discourse, and the army as referee.

It's a role they may have to fill for some time. Morsi is insisting a referendum be held next weekend to vote on a constitution his party and its Islamist allies have written. The opposition wants one to be drawn up that represents everyone's interests.

[wesleym58]

You can't change Presidents or heads of state like you do your underwear or socks. The Egyptian people seem to be misunderstanding what it means to elect the wrong official. Sometimes you have to live with your mistakes like we do in America. Egyptians must learn that political rhetoric and spin are part of the game. That it is, essentially, what the politician does down the line, once elected, that counts, not necessarily what he or she says or promises.

In the U.S., which is a democratic republic, simply because the citizenry makes a mistake and elects the wrong candidate for high office does not mean we can just get mad and protest until he or she abdicates. This would be a bad, unstable, system of government. All American voters can do is sit tight and scrutinize the official's actions until his or her time in office is officially over, thereafter, they are often voted out.

This is what is going to have to happen at some point in Egypt if they are going to become a free and democratic society. Meaning the violence is going to have to stop and observation by the people of Morsi's behavior and high officials in general is going to have occur. Once this is done democracy will begin to happen as well as a better understanding of how to know the politician and his intent before he or she is elected. www.globalbabbler.com

[judymar14]

The Muslim Brotherhood will be taking over Syria next when the rebels win. They plan to rule every country in the mid-east, and will do it with puppet leaders such as Morsi.

[LEONARS]

YES EGYPT FOUGHT FOR DEMOCRACY AND FOOLISHLY ELECTED A MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD PRESIDENT THAT WANTS SIRIAH LAW IN THE CONSTITUTION. THAT KILLS THE RIGHTS OF WOMEN AND IS VERY RESTRICTIVE. HOW COULD THE EGYPTIANS BE SO STUPID? I READ THAT HAMAS, WHO MORSI IS IN LEAUGE WITH WANTS TO MAKE VERY COUNTRY ISLAMIC, INCLUDING ISRAEL!

[Think4times]

He wouldn't have done it if the people hadn't put him under such pressure.

He insisted in keeping it even when he knew there was protest, he just thought he would be able to beat down the protest.

He was motivated by fear, not level-headed reasoning.

[baileycccc]

A nation of looney bins.

[signseeker1717]

Egypt is an ancient country struggling to at last establish democracy in the 21st century, a country where there have only been autocrats and dictators in their long history. We should wish Egyptians WELL, instead of calling them names.

[judymar14]

A nation of barbarians.

[matt6052]

Anytime something happens that he doesn't like, he places himself above the law. That makes voting any way other than the way he wants you to sort of pointless, doesn't it?

[Blossom61]

@AskAgain: The people didn't vote FOR Morsi. They voted AGAINST worse options. Not exactly a vote of confidence. If you're an American you should understand this concept by now...

[Blossom61]

@AskAgain: The people didn't vote FOR Morsi. They voted AGAINST worse options. Not exactly a vote of confidence. If you're an American you should understand this concept by now...

[Filmguy870]

It all depends on the statutes contained in the newly written constitution on which he is requiring a referendum..It seems to me that it is being rushed...and that is usually a REALLY BAD sign! I sense a desire to institutionalize Sharia law...and that is not going to end well FOR ANYBODY!!!

[wesleym58]

If the above news article is true, it is likely that President Mohammed Morsi is uninterested in harming Egyptians. Dialogue is better than street violence in any event. Observably, I go along with Mr. Morsi having the elected right to form his coalition. Moreover, to call for a referendum is a sign of his good will to work with the Egyptian citizenry and the opposition in government. In contrast, if he is a Hitler in disguise the Egyptian people will surely discover it soon enough. But so far in the eyes of the world his political behavior toward Egyptians does not seem to be one of antagonism or inhumanity to his fellow man. www.globalbabbler.com

[Blossom61]

Morsi gave in because he knew if he didn't he'd wind up in a shopping mall freezer. People are done with a boot on their backs.

[DrSam800]

LET'S HOPE THAT THIS MAN HAS FINALLY COME TO HIS SENSE. We'll see.