Mostaqbal Watan, Al Wafd endorse draft constitutional amendments

CAIRO – 16 April 2019: Chairmen of the parliamentary commissions at Mostaqbal Watan Party and Al Wafd Party, Atef Nassef and Hany Abaza, respectively, announced in the plenary session on Tuesday their parties' approval of the draft constitutional amendments.

Nassef thanked Speaker Ali Abdel Aal for "the professional phrasing of the draft amendments."

The Parliament members will vote today on the proposed amendments during the plenary session. If the draft is passed, a referendum will be held mostly by the end of this month for the public to vote.

In mid-February, members of the House of Representatives approved in principle the proposed amendments after the Constitutional and Legislative Affairs Committee in the Parliament reviewed and passed the draft.

The proposal was submitted in the first place by the leader of the majority at the Parliament and President of the Support Egypt Coalition Abdel Hady al-Qasabi to Speaker Abdel Aal earlier in February.

Dialogues with representatives of concerned entities and social segments were held by the Parliament. Parliamentarians belonging to Al Nour Party-affiliated with the Salafist Group-expressed their objection to describing the Egyptian state as a "civil state" and allocating a quota for women representing 25 percent of the seats in the House of Representatives.

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 in the referendum to be held few months from now. Below are the details of measures to be taken.