Egypt's constitution to be put to vote

(Vatican Radio) The body drafting Egypt's new constitution will start voting today on a final draft. President Mohamed Mursi's allies in the Muslim Brotherhood are hoping the vote will help end a crisis prompted by a decree expanding his powers. But critics say the Islamist-dominated assembly's bid to finish the constitution quickly could make matters worse.

Mursi is expected to call for national unity in a public address this afternoon seeking to ease the crisis, which has set off a week of protests.

Lydia O’Kane spoke to Michael Meunier, Head of the US Copts Association about the effects of the constitution on the Christian population.

He says it could have serious implications. “What we are completely fearful of is that this constitutional committee has put in a draft that basically makes sharia law the principle for legislating in Egypt and this is the major fight that Christians and seculars are taking one side of and Islamists have taken another side of.”

Egypt has been without an elected legislature since the Islamist-dominated parliament was dissolved in June.

New parliamentary elections cannot happen until the constitution is passed. Listen to Lydia O’Kane’s interview with Michael Meunier.