CIAO DATE: 02/2013
January 2013
United States Institute of Peace
Amid intense political contestation and deep rifts between Islamists and liberal political forces, Egypt’s new constitution was adopted on December 22, 2012. Several articles include stronger emphasis on religion than the 1971 constitution, yet its character is largely secular. The constitutional text departs from Egypt’s authoritarian path, but also from a previous consensus among political forces to curb presidential powers. The state assumes a prominent role as a guardian of liberties and provider of human development, perceiving citizens as objects of that state rather than its ultimate authority.
Resource link: Egypt's 2012 Constitution: Devil in the Details, Not in Religion [PDF]