Egypt PM: Constitutional referendum in January

A referendum on Egypt's amended constitution is likely to take place in second half of January, a key first step in the country's political transition after the July ouster of President Mohammed Morsi, the interim prime minister said today.
A 50-member appointed panel has been amending the 2012 constitution that was mainly drafted by Islamists and approved during Morsi's one-year presidency. The panel has been working mainly in closed-door sessions amid rising concerns over the powers it will give the president and the military.
Prime Minister Hazem el-Beblawi called the referendum the "most critical moment" for Egypt. He did not give a firm date, saying only that it was expected in the second half of January. But his comments carried by the state news agency MENA were the most precise timeframe given yet for the vote.

The military-backed government has touted the referendum as the first firm step to establishing the post-Morsi political order. Passage of the constitution is to be followed by parliamentary and presidential elections.
Authorities are hoping the draft wins with more than the 63 per cent of the vote that the Morsi-era constitution garnered in a 2012 referendum.
A campaign urging the public to vote in the referendum is already in full swing. "Let them know our size," is a prominent refrain in the radio and TV campaign calling on people to take part. In his comments today, el-Beblawi urged people not to "give up their right" to vote in the constitution.

Morsi supporters have been protesting against the interim authorities and demanding Morsi' reinstatement since he was ousted. They refuse to recognize the current government and it is likely they will campaign against the referendum whether by urging a "no" or a boycott or holding protests during the voting.
The spokesman for the High Elections Committee, Hesham Mukhtar, said el-Beblawi's announcement is an "expectation" and not a decision. The date for the referendum, Mukhtar told reporters, is to be set by the interim president.
Six international organizations and 67 local groups have been approved to monitor the referendum, Mukhtar said. So far 20,000 observers have registered to monitor the vote, said commission official Ahmed el-Suheim.