Court Ruling Casts Cloud of Confusion Over Egypt

Egypt is bracing for protests Friday after judges appointed by former President Hosni Mubarak dissolved the Islamist-led parliament and allowed his former prime minister to compete in a presidential run-off election.

The ruling by Egypt's Supreme Constitutional Court was immediately denounced Thursday by senior Muslim Brotherhood officials, who said it amounted to a power grab by those loyal to the Mubarak government ousted last year in a popular revolt. Egypt's interim military rulers, who now assume legislative power, were quoted in state media as saying the two-day run-off between the Muslim Brotherhood's Mohamed Morsi and former Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq will begin as scheduled on Saturday. Morsi said Thursday he respects the ruling. But he told Egyptian television that he was dissatisfied with the court's decision to strike down a law passed by parliament last month barring former Mubarak officials from running for office. Regarding parliament, the high court found that one-third of the Egyptian legislature was elected illegally, making the entire body unconstitutional and necessitating new parliamentary elections.