Ashraf Abo Arafe
The House of Representatives’ general committee discussed a request to amend the constitution. The amendments were distributed among all members of the committee, chaired by House Speaker Ali Abdel Aal, who called for convening to complete the discussion.
The written request was signed by more than one fifth of the lawmakers with the aim to fix some articles of the constitution. These proposals have been made in response to practical and legal problems that require some articles of the existing constitution to be amended. The amendments generally aim to introduce needed reforms to Egypt’s system of government.
The following is a list of some constitutional amendments proposed:
Political life
- Identify a constitutional quota for women in the parliamentary councils.
- Permanent representation of workers and peasants in the parliament after being temporarily represented.
- Permanent representation of youth, Copts, Egyptians abroad and people with disabilities in the parliament after being temporarily represented.
Ruling system
- Appoint a vice president or more, if needed.
- Extend presidential terms from four to six years, with putting the needed transitional article.
Judiciary
- Unifying the mechanism of appointment of heads of judicial bodies, the Attorney General and the President of the Supreme Constitutional Court.
- Establishing a “High Council for Joint Judicial Affairs”
Armed Forces
- Safeguarding the constitution and democracy and preserving the civil nature of the state.
- Making the appointment of the minister of defense only after securing the approval of the Higher Council of Armed Forces (SCAF).
- Providing legal protection for vital establishments and public utilities.
Election System
- Deleting phrase “equal representation of voters”, because of the controversy in the practical application and as a commitment of the ruling of the Constitutional Court issued in this regard
The Senate
- A new upper house of parliament (senate) is to be created.
Press and Information Management
- Deleting articles 212 and 213 concerning the National Information Authority and the National Press Authority
