2012 Egyptian constitutional referendum

2012 Egyptian constitutional referendum

13–22 December 2012

Results
Choice
Votes %
Yes 10,693,911 63.83%
No 6,061,011 36.17%
Valid votes 16,754,922 98.22%
Invalid or blank votes 303,395 1.78%
Total votes 17,058,317 100.00%
Registered voters/turnout 51,919,067 32.86%

  Governorate that voted "Yes".
  Governorate that voted "No".

A constitutional referendum was held in Egypt in two rounds on 15 and 22 December 2012.[1] Egyptians living abroad were scheduled to vote between 8 and 11 December.[2] Voting for expatriates had been delayed until 12 December 2012[3] and was extended until 17 December 2012.[4] Voters were asked whether they approve of the draft constitution that was approved by the Constituent Assembly on 30 November 2012.[citation needed]

Unofficial results reported on 23 December 2012 found that 32.9% of the electorate voted and that the constitution was approved with 63.8% of the vote in favor over the two rounds of polling.[5]

During the campaign, supporters of the draft constitution argued that the constitution would provide stability. Most opponents argued that the constitution was too favorable to the Muslim Brotherhood, and did not grant sufficient minority rights. However, some extreme Salafists also opposed the constitution, arguing that it should have been based more closely on Sharia law.

The supreme committee for supervising the constitution referendum was formed on 3 December 2012.[6] Mohammad Salim Al-Awa stated that a new Constituent Assembly would be formed within three months through general elections if the draft Constitution was voted down. The new assembly would have six months to write the new constitution.[7] The general secretary of the constitution referendum supreme committee resigned for health reasons.[8]

  1. ^ "Egypt to hold referendum in two stages due to shortage of judges". Al Arabiya. 11 December 2012. Archived from the original on 14 December 2012. Retrieved 11 December 2012.
  2. ^ "Egypt's expats to vote on constitution 8 December". Ahram Online. 3 November 2012. Retrieved 3 December 2012.
  3. ^ Sara Abou Bakr (7 December 2012). "Constitutional referendum postponed". Daily News Egypt. Retrieved 7 December 2012.
  4. ^ "Egypt expat voting extended to Monday 8pm". Ahram Online. 15 December 2012. Retrieved 16 December 2012.
  5. ^ "Egyptian constitution 'approved' in referendum". BBC News. 23 December 2012. Retrieved 23 December 2012.
  6. ^ "Supreme committee overseeing Egypt's constitution poll formed". Ahram Online. 3 December 2012.
  7. ^ "Morsi's decree cancelled, constitution referendum to take place on time". Ahram Online. 9 December 2012. Retrieved 8 December 2012.
  8. ^ "Elections commission secretary general resigns". Egypt Independent. 19 December 2012. Retrieved 19 December 2012.