The State Council Administrative Court took the step of suspending the Constituent Assembly (CA) on 10 April. The assembly, which was dominated by Islamists, was tasked with formulating a new constitution for the country. The interim constitution will remain the primary legal document until the CA is reconstituted. It is not known when this body will reconvene. The CA had come under severe pressure from secularists, youth activists and leftists recently for being overly dominated by Muslim Brotherhood and Salafist figures with dissenting groups fearing the implementation of Sharia Law. The decision to suspend the CA is likely to be well received by the dissenters; however, Islamist reaction is likely to be strong and protests by these groups over the suspension are possible. Mass action is unlikely, however, as Islamists are keen to present the independence of the judiciary and other arms of government amid ongoing allegations that they are attempting to concentrate power. The Muslim Brotherhood recently nominated two men to run for president reneging on an earlier promise not to nominate anyone.
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