Summary Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi called for a referendum on Dec 15 on disputed draft constitution.
President Mohamed Morsi called on Egyptians on Saturday to vote in a December 15 referendum on the controversial draft constitution at the heart of a political crisis, amid mass Islamist rallies in Cairo.
Morsi made the announcement following a ceremony where he received a copy of the charter from the head of the Islamist-dominated constituent assembly, boycotted by liberals and Christians, that adopted it the day before.
Hundreds of thousands of Islamists rallied from early on Saturday in support of Morsi s new expanded powers and the contested charter, which has taken centre stage in the country s worst political crisis since his election in June.
The crowds flooded the squares and large avenues near Cairo University, led by members of the Muslim Brotherhood, on whose ticket Morsi ran for office, and by hardline Salafists, causing traffic jams in the capital.
On Friday opponents of the draft constitutions had massed in Tahrir Square, demonstrating the country s widening polarisation, squaring largely Islamist forces against secular-leaning opponents.
"We want this phase to end. We want a constitution. If people don t like the constitution, let them say so through the ballot boxes," one protester said on Saturday.
Others chanted: "The people want the implementation of God s law."
"We are here to support the decisions of Dr Mohamed Morsi; we support him because those decisions were a part of the revolutionary demands," said Hend Abdellateef.
Veiled women ululated among the crowd, sprinkled with Egyptian and Saudi flags and posters of Morsi, with banners reading: "Together (with Morsi) to save the revolution".
"There are people who want instability," said Khaled, one of the demonstrators, referring to anti-Morsi protesters. "There needs to be a constitution for there to be stability."
Pro-Morsi protests were also staged in the Mediterranean city of Alexandria and the central Egyptian province of Assiut.
In Cairo, one demonstrator died and 24 others were injured when a tree fell near the main stage near the university.
The Muslim Brotherhood and their supporters have branded the opposition enemies of the revolution that toppled longtime dictator Hosni Mubarak in 2011.
