Egypt announces referendum date for new constitution

Egypt's interim president Adly Mansour has said a referendum on a new draft constitution would be held next month.

In a speech to the nation, flanked by high-ranking officials, Mansour called upon the Egyptians to vote in a referendum on the revised draft constitution on January 14 and 15.

According to news24, it will be the first step towards elected rule in a country deeply polarised after president Mohamed Morsi was ousted by the military.

The constitutional referendum is to be followed by parliamentary and presidential elections in mid-2014.

A 50-member panel drafted the new constitution after the interim authorities suspended the previous version of the charter written under Morsi.

Mansour praised the revised draft for its provisions on the 'securing of human rights, freedoms and the balancing of powers,' the report said.

He said that it was a good start on which to build the institutions of a democratic and modern state, it added.