Immigration Min. launches campaign urging expats to vote in planned referendum

CAIRO - 4 April 2019: Egypt's Ministry of Immigration and Expatriate Affairs announced launching a campaign to respond to the inquiries of Egyptian expats in terms of the currently proposed constitutional amendments and urge them to participate in a planned referendum on these amendments.

The Egyptian Parliament has not given a final approval on the amendments so far. In case they are approved, presidential terms in general will be extended to six years instead of four for each of the two terms. Also, heads of the judicial bodies would be appointed by the president.

Under the title: "Know.. Participate.. Even if you are abroad," the ministry's campaign aims to open a dialogue with the Egyptians residing abroad and respond to their questions concerning the amendments, according to reports, within the framework of the ministry's keenness to provide various types of support to expats and link them with their homeland.

Immigration Minister Nabila Makram said that the campaign targets raising the Egyptian expats' awareness concerning issues related to the constitutional amendments, affirming the importance of voting in the referendum. She also urged citizens abroad to express their opinion in the referendum and practice such constitutional and national entitlement.



In a video published by the ministry, Parliament Member Tamer al-Shahawi, who described himself as an independent member who is not part of the majority Egypt's Support Coalition, said that the amendments were proposed by the majority bloc. He explained that the amendments include 12 articles of the constitution, besides 8 new articles, and a transitional article.

The amendments include five main sectors, including the judicial, the executive, and the legislative authorities, the Armed Forces, and the Parliament's quota, General Shahawi, member of the Parliament's Defense and National Security Committee said.

He added that the amendments demanded a higher representation of women in the Parliament, and also placed a quota for workers, farmers, Christians, youth and people with special needs in the Parliament.

The Egyptian political society has witnessed a very large number of changes in the past 120 years. Egypt fought about seven wars and witnessed around four revolutions, Shahawi said. He added that Egypt also wrote seven constitutions and seven other constitutional declarations.

What to know about Egypt's constitutional amendment process

CAIRO - 6 February 2019: The process to amend the constitution involves the House of Representatives, and the people who is expected to participate ...