CAIRO – Egypt’s Islamist president fired the first volley in his war with the powerful generals Sunday, calling on the Islamist-dominated parliament to reconvene in defiance of a military decree dissolving the legislature on the basis of a ruling by the country’s highest court.

A week into his presidency, Mohammed Morsi’s decree could plunge the country into a new bout of instability, and possible violence, nearly 17 months after the ouster of authoritarian leader Hosni Mubarak by a popular uprising and the start of a transition period defined more by turmoil than the freedom that followed some 30 years of authoritarian rule.

His decree also called for new parliamentary elections to be held within 60 days of the adoption of a new constitution for the country, which is not expected before late this year.