Egypt’s political chaos takes up residence outside Cairo courthouse

CAIRO – Supporters of Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood brawled with their opponents in court Tuesday, delaying rulings that might help define the powers of new President Mohamed Morsi as he seeks more autonomy from the military.

Morsi’s Brotherhood allies hailed a “decisive” day in a chaotic transition to democracy and hundreds of supporters turned up at the courthouse to accuse the generals of using the judiciary to undermine his authority.

Overwhelmed by the shouting and jostling, the presiding judge suspended the hearing and moved to another courtroom to try to restore order. But many law- yers left as the disruption dragged on and the day ended with little progress.

“This court has always taken pride that its chambers are open to the public,” Judge Abdel Salam el-Naggar told the court. “What happened in that chamber: Is such terrorism appropriate?”

The anger on display in the courtroom underscores widespread frustration at a chaotic and faltering democratic transition made possible by last year’s overthrow of Hosni Mubarak.

Despite his election victory in June, which ended more than 16 months of army rule, Morsi has yet to form a cabinet and there is no fully functioning parliament or constitution, deepening the sense of turmoil that has pushed the economy to the brink.

Judges have dismissed accusations they are influenced by the military and opinion is split on whether the Cairo administrative court will strike down the constituent assembly, a body rewriting the constitution that was formed by an Islamist-dominated parliament the generals have since dissolved.

The divisions were in full view at the courthouse.

“Down, down with military rule,” cried Brotherhood supporters who want the constituent assembly to continue its work.

That drew an angry response from their opponents. “Down, down with the rule of the Supreme Guide,” shouted a woman, referring to the leader of the Muslim Brotherhood, Mohamed Badie.

As the mayhem deepened, lawyers called for the proceedings to be suspended.

“This isn’t justice,” said lawyer Nabiel Gabriel. “I am holding Morsi personally accountable for this chaos. He has a responsibility to establish order.”

Beside the constituent assembly, the judges were also trying to study appeals against decrees by the military and one from Morsi that recalled parliament after the generals dissolved it.

On Facebook, the Brotherhood’s Freedom and Justice Party said the deliberations would be “decisive.”

Yet there was little hope the rulings, when they come, would end the institutional wrangling and endless court challenges that have been delaying the re- turn to stability.

Brotherhood supporters said no one could overrule elected institutions. “Who elected the constitutional assembly? Parliament. And who elected parliament? The people. We are the ones to determine our fate,” said protester Ahmed Mohamed el-Sayed, 20, a member of Freedom and Justice.

The court closed proceedings with a decision to look into lawyer demands to change the judges reviewing the constituent assembly case.

It also ruled that challenges to an army decree dissolving parliament be sent to a judicial panel for review, and said it would rule on Thursday on a decree by the army giving itself legislative powers and limiting the remit of the president.

Morsi has avoided a major confrontation with the military council led by Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, figurehead of the turbulent transition.

At a military graduation ceremony Tuesday, Morsi sat alongside Tantawi and other senior officers and made a speech in which he paid homage to the leaders of the armed forces during the uprising against Mubarak.

He said a government would be announced as soon as possible to replace an interim, army-appointed cabinet still in office.

The decision will not come too soon for many Egyptians.

“The state of the country is unacceptable,” said Ahmed Mahmoud. “They want us to stay in a state of transition not for a year but 10.”