Egypt votes on disputed charter
Egyptians vote in the second leg of a referendum on a new constitution that has deeply split supporters and critics of President Mohammed Morsi.
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Egypt: Who holds the power?
22 December 2012
Last updated at 11:55 GMT
Shaimaa Khalil reports on an emerging split within Egyptian society.Egyptians are voting in a second stage of a constitutional referendum that has sparked weeks of unrest.Opponents of President Mohammed Morsi have held protests against the draft, saying it favours the Islamists now in power and betrays the revolution that overthrew Hosni Mubarak last year.
Mr Morsi's supporters say the constitution will secure democracy.
Some 250,000 security personnel have been deployed nationwide to try to keep order during the referendum.
Tension over the document has helped to fuel weeks of violence, including clashes in Alexandria on Friday.
Turnout was reported to be just above 30% in the first round, with unofficial counts suggesting some 56% of those who cast ballots voted in favour of the draft.
Official results are not expected until Monday, after appeals are heard. If the constitution passes, parliamentary elections must take place within three months.
'More unrest' Ballots are being cast in the 17 provinces which did not vote in a first round on 15 December.
Continue reading the main storyAt the scene
In the crowded working-class neighbourhood of Imbaba in Giza province, it's hard to know what's louder - the honking vehicles or the lively discussions on the referendum. Minibuses, cars and tuk tuks are all fighting their way through the winding queues of men and women that have formed outside polling stations here.
The one at El Nile school is designated for men only. Turn-out is high in this area, and there is a heavy security presence.
In a few seconds this part of the queue turns into a small cluster of people in heated arguments. As queues get longer and people wait patiently in the sun, more clusters like this one form and become louder.
The discussions are not just about the constitution, they're about President Morsi and the growing influence of the movement backing him - the Muslim Brotherhood. Even as they enter the polling stations, many Egyptians remain divided on the future of their country.
The areas are seen as more conservative and sympathetic to Mr Morsi's Islamist movement, the Muslim Brotherhood.Analysts suggest this will favour a "Yes" vote.
"I'm voting 'No' because Egypt can't be ruled by one faction," Karim Nahas, a 35-year-old stock market broker voting early on Saturday in Giza, told Reuters news agency.
Egyptians casting votes in favour of the charter said they were voting for stability.
Opponents of the draft say it fails to protect the freedoms and human rights that they sought in the uprising that toppled Mr Mubarak. Some have also complained about the role given to Islamic clerics and what they say is a lack of a clear commitment to equality between men and women.
The campaign group Human Rights Watch has said the draft provides for basic protections against arbitrary detention and torture, but fails to end military trials of civilians or to protect freedom of expression and religion.
Ahead of the second round, opposition politicians said they thought further violence was likely.
"I see more unrest," said Ahmed Said, head of the liberal Free Egyptians Party and a member of the opposition coalition.
He said there had been "serious violations" on the first day of voting and that anger towards the president was growing.
Opposition figurehead Mohammed ElBaradei has urged people to vote against the charter.
Continue reading the main storyConstitution at a glance
- Sharia remains the main source of legislation
- Al-Azhar, Sunni Islam's leading authority, to be consulted on "matters related to Sharia"
- Christianity and Judaism to be the main source of legislation for Christians and Jews
- Religious freedom to be limited to Muslims, Christians and Jews
- Limits president to two four-year terms of office
"We know that if this constitution is passed, there will be no stability," he said late on Thursday.Egypt's latest crisis began on 22 November, when Mr Morsi issued a decree granting himself broad powers.
The decree stripped the judiciary of any power to challenge his decisions.
After an outcry, the president revoked much of the decree, but he refused to back down on the draft constitution.
The text was rushed through by a constituent assembly dominated by Islamists and boycotted by liberal and left-wing members, as it faced a threat of dissolution by the country's top court.
Egypt has seen mass demonstrations on both sides ever since.
On Friday, Islamists clashed with secular rivals in Alexandria, hurling stones at each other outside a mosque.
Police formed lines and fired tear gas to keep the two groups apart.
At least 32 people were injured, the health ministry said. COPY http://www.bbc.co.uk/news
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