Cairo — Egyptian Opposition groups have called for mass protests on Friday against President Mohamed Morsi's surprise decision to give himself, and the Islamist-dominated assembly writing Egypt's new constitution, extraordinary new powers.

The decree states that the president's decisions cannot be revoked by any authority, including the judiciary.

They have described his move as a "coup against legitimacy" and accused the president of appointing himself Egypt's "new pharaoh".

"This is a coup against legitimacy. We call on all Egyptians to protest in all of Egypt's squares on Friday," Sameh Ashour, Head of the Egyptian Lawyers syndicate said at a joint news conference with Mohamed ElBaradei and Amr Moussa.