Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi has rescinded a controversial decree he issued last month that unreasonably expanded his powers. and generated angry protests.
However, a news conference in Cairo was told that a controversial referendum on a draft constitution would still go ahead as planned on 15 December.
Mr Morsi's critics have accused him of acting like a dictator, but he says he is safeguarding the revolution.
He said the extra powers were needed to force through reforms.
Mr Morsi's decree of 22 November stripped the judiciary of any right to challenge his decisions and triggered violent protests on the streets of Cairo.
"The constitutional decree is annulled from this moment," said Selim al-Awa, an Islamist politician acting as a spokesman for a meeting Mr Morsi held with political and public figures on Saturday.
But he said the referendum on a new constitution would go ahead because it was not legally possible for the president to postpone it.
The meeting had been boycotted by the main opposition leaders who had earlier called for their supporters to step up their protests. They want both the decree and the referendum cancelled.
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