Liberals, church walkout holds up Egypt’s constitution

Two dozen liberal members walked out of the 100-member Constitutional Assembly drafting Egypt’s post-Mubarak charter, following Egypt’s church leaders, who claimed the draft drawn up by the Islamist-dominated panel does not reflect the pluralistic identity of Egypt. Pope Tawadros II, the Coptic Patriarch was installed on Sunday. The Liberals protested a new article inserted at the insistence of the Salafis that would open the way for ultraconservative concepts which they said reflected Taliban or Wahhabi thinking.
The panel is due to finish its work by December 12, and the new constitution to be submitted to a referendum.