雅思阅读精选：埃及公投背道而驰_雅思英语阅读

雅思阅读精选：埃及公投背道而驰

　　Even if the constitution gets popular approval, it will not have a ringing endorsement. Less than one-third of eligible voters are reckoned to have turned out in the first round of the referendum, and the margin of assent has been slim. Coptic Christians, who make up about a tenth of Egypts 85m people, are unnerved by the documents Islamist flavour, as are many Egyptians with secular, liberal or left-wing views. And despite the referendum results, the Brothers may be losing favour. Since winning a clear plurality in a general election nearly a year ago, their popularity has been dipping.

　　Hardline Brothers may be tempted to respond by gripping onto power even more tightly. But the organisation that suffered so many decades of persecution under President Hosni Mubarak should surely realise where that may lead. Instead, Mr Morsi and his allies would do better to respect alternative opinions and stop treating political opponents as mortal enemies conspiring with godless Westerners to do them down.

　　Time to leave the streets

　　As a conciliatory gesture, Mr Morsi could use his powers of appointment to ensure that parliaments upper house, the Shura Council, becomes more representative. Elected with only 10% of the vote, when it was widely assumed to be a mere talking shop that would be abolished by the new constitution, 83% of its members are Islamists, a far higher proportion than they would win in a fair election today. Given that the Shura Council will now be the sole legislature until fresh elections to the lower house take place in two months time, it would be wise to bring in more secular sorts and Christians. The Shura Council should also amend the new constitutions most blatantly sectarian and anti-democratic clausessuch as the ones allowing the religious establishment to meddle in legislation and giving the army exorbitant political and budgetary perks.