5th parliamentary session to kick off Oct. 1

CAIRO - 30 September 2019: The House of Representatives presided by Speaker Ali Abdel Aal is preparing for the fifth and last parliamentary session that will kick off on Tuesday, October 1 by setting the agenda of the first plenary session and the rules of committees elections.

Another plenary session will be held on Wednesday to announce the members of the 25 parliamentary committees and receive any suggestions or objections.

In 2020, the elections of the Municipal Councils, the House of Representatives, and the newly-introduced senate will take place.

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.

Revived by a public referendum in April this year, the Senate is believed to be of great importance to the political life in Egypt. Political parties affirm that the awaited legislative body will include competent figures, and that it will contribute to completing the democracy and legislation pillars in the country.

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, as well as deepen and expand the democratic system, according to Article 248 of the constitution.

The Senate shall consist of a number of members determined by law, no less than 180 members. Two-thirds of the members of the Council of Representatives 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.

According to Article 249 of the Constitution, 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.