Egypt's Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (Scaf) has decreed an interim constitutional declaration. Here are its key elements:
- The next president takes his oath of office before the Supreme Constitutional Court because parliament is dissolved.
- Scaf decides on all affairs of the armed forces, appointing its commanders and extending their service. Until a new constitution is adopted, the chairman of Scaf, Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, has the power of the commander of the armed forces and the defense minister.
- The president can declare war after he gets the approval of Scaf.
- If there are protests that require the intervention of the armed forces, the president can request the participation of the armed forces to safeguard security and protect vital installations. Scaf will decide whether to intervene.
- Scaf has legislative powers until a new parliament is elected and functioning.
- If the constituent assembly is unable to complete its work for whatever reason, Scaf will within a week form a new constituent assembly that represents all segments of society to draft a constitution within three months from the date of its inception. The draft constitution will be voted on in a nationwide referendum within 15 days of completion. Steps leading to parliamentary elections should start a month after voters ratify the new constitution.
- If the president, the chairman of Scaf, the Supreme Judicial Council or a fifth of the members of the constituent assembly see that the draft constitution includes a clause that clashes with the basic principles and goals of the revolution or with previous Egyptian constitutions, any of those bodies can ask the assembly to review the clauses within 15 days. If the assembly supports the draft, any of those bodies can take the matter to the Supreme Constitutional Court, which should rule on the matter within seven days.
