Egypt descends into more chaos as parliament is dissolved and military assumes control

June 14, 2012 – EGYPT – Egypt’s highest court declared the parliament invalid Thursday, and the country’s interim military rulers promptly declared full legislative authority, triggering a new level of chaos and confusion in the country’s leadership. The Supreme Constitutional Court’s ruling means that parliament must be dissolved, state TV reported. The court also ruled that a former member of President Hosni Mubarak’s regime may run in a presidential election runoff this weekend. The court found that all articles making up the law that regulated parliamentary elections are invalid, said Showee Elsayed, a constitutional lawyer. Parliament had been in session for just over four months. It was dominated by Islamists, a group long viewed with suspicion by the military. The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, in control of the country since Mubarak’s ouster, announced that it now has full legislative power and will announce a 100-person assembly that will write the country’s new constitution by Friday. Due to a separate decision by the high court Thursday, Former Prime Minister Ahmed Shafik will be allowed to run in this weekend’s runoff election. The court rejected a law barring former regime members from running in the election. Shafik was the last prime minister under Mubarak. The runoff Saturday and Sunday pits him against Mohamed Morsi, head of the Muslim Brotherhood’s political arm. Riot police and military personnel, some in armored vehicles, were outside the court ahead of the rulings. Military intelligence officers were also present. –CNN