Cairo - Egypt's al-Azhar institution, the highest authority in Sunni Islam, said on Thursday it would boycott an assembly tasked with writing a new constitution, following the example of liberals who say they are under-represented on the panel. The new constitution, to be written by a 100-member assembly of politicians and public figures, will replace an earlier document army rulers suspended when they took power after the uprising that toppled President Hosni Mubarak last year.
The assembly is dominated by Islamists, reflecting their resounding victory in parliamentary elections. That has worried liberals and left-wing groups who say the outcome of one set of elections should not have an undue influence on the formation of a constitution meant to last far longer than a one parliamentary term.
Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood is locked in a power struggle with ruling generals over how much influence the army will have after civilians take over in three months time, a dispute that could decide whether democracy thrives after Mubarak's removal.
Azhar said in a statement it would "not participate in the assembly to draft the constitution ... announcing its reservations over not being appropriately represented". Two members from Azhar had been elected to the assembly.
Al-Azhar is a university and clerical body that has been a central seat of Sunni scholarship since the Middle Ages.
Observers and its own officials say it is seeking to develop a more active political role to make up for the lost time during Mubarak's three-decades in power when the body kept close to the authorities.
Many, including a member representing Egypt's Supreme Constitutional Court, have quit the assembly, casting doubt on its legitimacy with presidential elections just weeks away.
The Muslim Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) and ultra-conservative Salafi Nour Party dominate the assembly, while women, young people and minority Christians are under-represented, they say.
Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, who met with political parties on Thursday, said the assembly must represent all society, not only parliament's majority.
The Muslim Brotherhood disputes accusations that Islamists dominate the Constitutional Assembly, saying it contains 48 Islamists, 36 from parliament and 12 from outside. Their opponents say a score of other members have Islamist leanings. - Reuters
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