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Politics cloud Egypt's constitution

CAIRO, March 28 (UPI) -- With secular groups in Egypt leaving a constitutional assembly, a legal expert called for a wide political consensus in the country for the sake of legitimacy.

The Muslim Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party and Islamist al-Nour party hold a near-majority in the 100-member panel tasked with drafting Egypt's post-revolution constitution. Secular parties, however, withdrew from the assembly saying it lacked balance.

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Mohamed Nour Farahat, identified by the Egyptian Independent news service as a constitutional law expert, said the panel should be free of political agendas.

"The assembly should start its work by wide consensus and not be seized by a specific political group," he said.

FJP deflected claims it was overwhelming the political landscape in Egypt.

"Egyptian People's Assembly and Shura Council elected-MPs debated all nominations, representing 141 institutions, trade unions and authorities, as well as individuals and lawmakers," the party said through the Muslim Brotherhood's official Ikhwanweb site.

Farahat, however, said the departure of some political groups put the constitutional issue in question.

"The new constitution will be illegitimate" if the stalemate continues, he said.

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