Youssef criticises constituent assembly

Filmmaker Khaled Youssef, a member of the Front for Creativity, stated that the group had anticipated from the beginning that the Islamists, especially the Muslim Brotherhood, would take over the constituent assembly that will draft Egypt's new constitution. Youssef argues that the assembly does not represent the Egyptian population, nor the January 25 Revolution, and that Islamists have chosen the members subjectively. He added that he is against decision to reserve 50 per cent of seats on the constituent committee for parliament members (who are 70% Islamists), emphasising that artists, writers and intellectuals are not presented in the constitution. "Let them write their constitution," he said "however, they have to know it is not the people’s constitution, but rather the Muslim Brotherhood constitution." Youssed added that the front will continue protesting against the constituent assembly, like it did Saturday in front of the High Court. On the other hand, the head of the actors’ syndicate, Ashraf Abdel Ghafour, who is a member of the constituent assembly, assured Ahram Online that the assembly will keep Egypt’s welfare in consideration while writing the constitution. "I will discuss the articles relating to culture in the constitution with different people in the arts field," he said, adding that "the process will take a long time." However, the actors' syndicate head also feels that the constituent assembly lacks figures from the cultural field. "Apart from Farouk Goueida and I, there is no one else to represent the culture scene," lamented Abdel Ghafour.