Muslim Brotherhood secretary-general slams ElBaradei’s constitution initiative

The Muslim Brotherhood secretary-general hits back at reform campaigner Mohamed ElBaradei for calling the newly-approved constitution ‘temporary’ Mahmoud Hussein, the Muslim Brotherhood secretary-general, dismissed Mohamed ElBaradei’s constitution initiative as unrealistic after the reform campaigner suggested that the newly-approved national charter be temporary. In an interview with the BBC, Nobel peace prize laureate ElBaradei branded the constitution, which according to unofficial results was approved by 64% Egyptians, as illegitimate and likened it to “money laundering”. The head of the Constitution Party also called on Egypt president Mohamed Morsi to deem the new constitution temporary until Egypt’s political figures reach consensus over a new document. “ElBaradei’s initiative is unrealistic because this constitution has been approved by the majority of Egyptians. It is the permanent constitution of Egypt and describing it as temporary is an attempt to halt the country’s progress and bring us back to square one,” Hussein told Egyptian newspaper Al-Hayat. “There should have been a national dialogue over the disputed articles but I don’t know whether that will happen or not,” he added. The National Salvation front, an opposition coalition that includes several prominent figures including ElBaradei and former Arab League chief Amr Moussa, has boycotted meetings with Morsi to discuss the ongoing row over the constitution. From Ahramonline