Egypt to hold parliamentary elections in about 6 months

Egypt’s interim president Adly Mansour issued a swift timetable Monday for the process of amending the Islamist-backed constitution that was passed in December, and set parliamentary and presidential elections for early 2014.

During the transitional period, the president and the cabinet will hold legislative authorities.

“According to the temporary charter, the president holds legislative authorities along with the cabinet that shall have a mandatory consultative role. Legislative authority will be transferred to the parliament’s lower chamber, the House of Representatives that has yet to be elected. The president is also entitled to approve state policy and budget, and also declare a state of emergency after the approval of Cabinet and in accordance to the law,” Ahram Online reported.

The constitution was suspended last week after the ouster of president Mohammed Morsi following mass protests against him, and in what many have deemed a military coup. The bloodshed between Morsi supporters and opponents has claimed hundreds of lives since June 30, when millions poured into the streets calling on Morsi to step down.

Mansour is expected to form a committee within 15 days to review the frozen constitution and make amendments. A second committee will then review the amendments and submit a final draft to the president within 60 days, who will then have another 30 days to put the matter to national referendum.

Egypt’s non-Islamists have long argued that the constitution passed last year was not representative of Egyptian society and harmful to democracy freedoms, minorities and women.