A month after Egypt’s Islamist-led parliament was dissolved by then-ruling powerful military generals, the country’s newly elected president ordered it to reconvene until a new one is elected.
The surprise move by Mohamed Mursi, a longtime Muslim Brotherhood member, comes in defiance of a military decree which dissolved the body after a court last month ruled that a third of its members were illegally elected. Muslim Brotherhood members won the largest share of seats in this parliament.
The reopening of the parliament will almost certainly lead to clashes with the powerful generals who formally handed power to Mursi on June 30.
"President Mohamed Mursi ordered the reconvening of sessions of the elected parliament," according to a presidential statement read out by Mursi's aide Yasser Ali. An early parliamentary election will be held within 60 days of a new constitution being approved by the nation, Ali said.
Egypt’s military council said will hold an urgent meeting to discuss the move.
