Egypt's Mursi assumes sweeping powers, branded 'new pharoah'

Egyptian President Mohammed Mursi assumed sweeping powers on Thursday, prompting prominent opposition figure Mohamed ElBaradei to accuse him of usurping authority and becoming a “new pharoah”.

“The president can issue any decision or measure to protect the revolution,” according to a decree read out on television by presidential spokesman Yasser Ali.

“The constitutional declarations, decisions and laws issued by the president are final and not subject to appeal.”

Mursi also sacked prosecutor general Abdel Meguid Mahmud, whom he failed to oust last month, appointing Talaat Ibrahim Abdallah to replace him.

That set him on another collision course with the country’s judiciary after he last month promised to bring back to court ex-regime officials acquitted of organising an attack on protesters during last year’s uprising against ousted leader Hosni Mubarak.

The president in his pronouncements on Thursday ordered “new investigations and retrials” in the cases dealing with the deaths of protesters, a decision that could net senior military officials.