BREAKING: Parl’t approves planned constitutional amendments, referendum to be held soon

CAIRO – 16 April 2019: The Parliament approved on Tuesday a draft report of a number of constitutional amendments presented earlier by its legislative committee, giving the state’s National Elections Authority (NEA) the green light to announce a public referendum within 30 days.

The approval came with the total number of 531 members endorsed the amendments out of 554 participated in voting. 22 Parliamentarian refused the amendments while one member abstained from voting.

The approved amendments expand each of the two presidential terms allowed for any president to six years instead of four, while a separate transitional article gives an exceptional right to incumbent President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi, who was re-elected in 2018, to run for a third 6-year term after he finishes his second term in 2024 instead of 2022.

The amendments also give the president the right to choose heads of courts, judicial bodies, the Supreme Constitutional Court, and the Attorney General, Egypt's top prosecutor from some nominees. He would also appoint one-third of the members of the Shura Council, which was revived, this time under the name "The Senate.”

One of the amendments stipulates that women shall hold quarter the number of seats of the Parliament, while another guarantees a fair representation for peasants, workers, Christians and the disabled. Moreover, the amendments revive the formerly-dissolved Shura Council under the name “The Senate,” and also give the president the right to appoint one or more deputies.


The amendments included the following constitutional articles:

Article (150 bis) Addendum:

The President of the Republic may appoint a large number of deputies, determine their competencies, and may delegate them in some of his duties, relieve them of their posts, and accept their resignation. The Vice-Presidents of the Republic shall take the oath before assuming office Provided for in article 144 of the Constitution before the President of the Republic. The provisions of the Constitution shall apply to the Vice-Presidents of the Republic.

Article (241 bis) Addendum:

The president of the republic shall be elected for a term of six Gregorian years, starting on the day following the expiry of his predecessor's term, and may hold office for more than two consecutive terms.

Article (244 bis) Addendum

The provisions of the first paragraph of Article 102 shall apply as of the next legislative chapter.


Article 248

The Senate is concerned with studying and proposing what it sees as a tool to consolidate democracy, support national unity, social peace, the basic values of society, supreme values, rights, freedoms and public duties, and deepen and expand the democratic system.

Article 249

The opinion of the Senate shall be taken as follows:

- Proposals for the amendment of one or more articles of the Constitution.

- Projects concerning the general plan for Social and Economic Development

- Treaties of reconciliation and alliance and all treaties relating to the rights of sovereignty.

- Draft laws supplementing the Constitution and others referred to Senate by the President of the Republic.

- What the President of the Republic refers to the Senate concerning the general policy of the State or its policy in Arab or foreign affairs.

The Council shall give its opinion on these matters to the President of the Republic and the President of the Council of Representatives.

Article 250

The Senate shall consist of a number of members determined by law, not less than 180 members. Two-thirds of the members of the Council shall be elected by direct secret universal suffrage. The President of the Republic shall appoint the remaining third and the elections shall be held in accordance with the law.


Article (251) (Added):
A candidate for membership in the Senate or the person who appoints him must be an Egyptian with civil and political rights. He must have at least a university degree or equivalent, and his age must be less than thirty five years. The law specifies the conditions of candidacy, electoral system and the division of constituencies to take into account the equitable representation of the population and the governorates. Nomination can take place through single-member election or multi-member election, or both together.


Article (252) (Added):

The membership of the Senate and House of Representatives shall not be combined.


Article (253) (Added):
The Prime Minister, his deputies, ministers and other members of the government are not accountable to the Senate.


Article (254) (Added):

The provisions of the Constitution shall apply to the Senate in articles 103, 104, 105, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120, 1, 2, 132, 133, 136 and 137, in a manner not inconsistent with the provisions of this section, provided that the specializations in the said articles shall be exercised by the Senate and its President.