Bloomberg View: Egypt's Uncertain Path to Democracy

Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi appears to be struggling with the concept of separation of powers in a democratic system. Whether he masters it will determine Egypt’s chances of becoming a genuine democracy.

Mursi’s latest effort to grab authority to which he is not entitled is worrisome because it’s his second such offense. In July he tried unsuccessfully to defy a court order nullifying parliamentary elections dominated by the Muslim Brotherhood, an organization with which he is aligned. This time he went after the judiciary because he suspected it was about to dissolve the assembly writing Egypt’s new constitution. He issued a decree that stripped the courts of that power, granted himself wider authority, and immunized all presidential orders from challenges until a new constitution is passed.