Egypt set for post-rebellion vote

Egypt is set to vote on constitutional changes drawn up in the weeks since authoritarian ruler Hosni Mubarak was overthrown in a popular uprising.

The changes, if approved, will reduce the president’s time in office and oblige the leader to appoint a deputy.

The two established political blocs, the National Democratic Party and Muslim Brotherhood, back the proposals.

But pro-democracy activists say the changes do not go far enough and want the plan rejected.

They say the constitution needs to be entirely rewritten before elections can be held.

Polling stations were set to open at 0800 (0600 GMT).

Key proposals

Nobel Peace Prize winner Mohamed ElBaradei, who emerged as an opposition figurehead during the uprising, said the referendum dealt only with “minutiae”.

“It doesn’t talk about the imperial power of the president, it doesn’t talk about the distortion of the parliament, it doesn’t talk about the need to have an independent constituent assembly that represents everybody,” he said in comments carried by AFP news agency.

“So we are going to say no tomorrow. Most of the people who triggered the revolution are going to say no.”

Among the key proposals are:

• Reducing presidential terms from six years to four years and limiting the president to two terms
• Obliging the president to choose a deputy within 30 days of election
• Installing new criteria for presidential candidates, including a rule that they must over 40 years old and not married to a non-Egyptian

The scholars who drafted the changes did not radically overhaul presidential powers because they said the next parliament should entirely rewrite the constitution.

Analysts say the two main political blocs stand to benefit from early elections because dozens of smaller parties set up following the uprising have yet to fully organise themselves.

Mr Mubarak stood down in February after 18 days of popular protests, largely centred on Cairo’s Tahrir Square.

Crowds of activists once again crammed Tahrir Square on Friday, this time to protest against the referendum.