What to know about Municipal Councils in Egypt

CAIRO - 19 September 2019: The current Egyptian constitution promulgated in 2014 and amended in 2019 regulates the role and elections of municipal councils.

Article 180 provides that each municipal unit elects a council every four years through a secret ballot. Candidates should not be less than 21 and individuals aged less than 35 must compose a quarter of members. Another quarter is allocated to women, and half to workers and farmers. A decent representation of Christians and the disabled must be guaranteed.

The mission of Municipal Councils is following up on the execution of development plans, monitoring different activities, doing checks on executive bodies, submitting motions, and withdrawing confidence from chairpersons of municipal units. The executive law determines the councils’ financial resources and the guarantees of the members’ independence.

Article 181 states that the decrees of the Municipal Councils are final and shall not be subject to the interference of the executive authority unless there are breaches to the law, compromise of public interest or interests of other municipal councils.

In case of conflict among municipal councils, the municipal council of the governorate shall come up with a resolution. In case of conflict among municipal councils of governorates, the State Council shall come up with a resolution.

Article 182 specifies that each municipal council sets its budget and prepares its final account in accordance to law. Article 183 states that the law specifies how municipal councils are dissolved and reelected as they cannot be dissolved by a comprehensive administrative procedure.