Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi cancelled on Saturday night a decree he issued on November 22 which expanded his powers and shielded his decisions from judicial oversight.
The new decree however shields itself and other constitutional declarations from court challenges – so, while the president’s decisions can now be appealed, his constitutional decrees cannot.
Saturday’s decree reaffirmed a willingness to retry those who were involved in the killing of peaceful protesters from January 25 to June 2012 (when Mursi was sworn to office).
It also outlined measures to take if the people were to vote against a draft constitution written by an Islamist-dominated assembly, in a December 15 referendum.
If the current draft constitution fell, the people will democratically elect a new assembly to write a new constitution to be put to a referendum within a month of its writing, the new decree included.
The current Islamist-dominated assembly was elected by the now-dissolved parliament.
Outcomes of the November 22 decree will not be reversed.