Morsi backs down in Egypt

By Marc Burleigh


But it was not immediately clear whether his concession would satisfy an increasingly fierce opposition.

The Islamist leader on Saturday annulled a controversial decree issued last month that put his decisions beyond judicial review - a move denounced as a dictatorial "power grab" by the opposition, but one Morsi had defended as necessary to protect reforms.



The president was legally bound under the constitution to maintain that date and had no choice, he explained.

However, Awa added that if the draft constitution was rejected, a new one would be drawn up by officials elected by the people, rather than ones chosen by parliament as for the current text.






It urged a solution based on "democratic rules".


On Saturday, there were none of the large-scale demonstrations that had taken place on previous nights.





Ahmad Abdallah, there with his wife and two children, said he could no longer accept Morsi and nothing less than the disappearance of the Muslim Brotherhood backing the president would please him.

"The Brotherhood exists around the world. They have gone to other countries and split the people. Before the split, Morsi had a chance, but now it's too late," he said.





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