Parliaments re-elects heads of three committees on Sunday

by Sarah El-Sheikh

Egypt’s parliament to re-elect heads for committee of Defence and National Security, African affairs, and Energy and environment on Sunday, after receiving grievances of some members, according to state media outlet EGY News.

This came after the approval of the Parliament Speaker Ali Abdul Aal to re conduct the elections, due to the rejection of several parliamentarians to the results of initial elections that took place last week.

ConstitutionalArticle of 117 stipulates that at the first meeting of each annual legislative term, the parliament has to elect from among its members, a head and two deputies for each committee for the full term.The elected ones cannot be elected for more than two consecutive legislative terms.

The election will conducted for board of twenty five committees.

Seats of parliament speaker, and his two deputies will not be part of the elections, as they are only elected once at the beginning of the parliament’s five-year terms.

During this term elections,heads of some committees won for the second consecutive term, without any opposition.The majority of those heads are affiliated to Support Egypt parliamentary bloc.

The parliamentarians that remained in the head seats are Abdel Hady Al-Kasaby, the head of Social Solidarity committee, Osama Heikal the head Media and Culture committee, Osama El-Abd the head of the Religious Affairs Committee, Alaa Abed the head of the Human Rights Committee, Bahaa El-Din Abu Shuqa the head of the Legislative and Constitutional Affairs Committee and Amr Ghallab the head of the Economic Affairs Committee.

Committees that saw new heads are committees of Foreign Affairs, Transport and Communication, Housing, and

Health Affairs.

Regrading the three committee that will face re-elections, General Kamal Amer remained as head of the Defence and National Security Committee, businessmen Talaat El-Sewedi remained the head of the Energy and Environment Committee, while new head were elected for Committee of African Affairs.

Abdul Aal approved the results remaining twenty two committee, and ordered formation of a committee to follow re-election of the three committees, upon the request of the members.

The Parliament to resumed the third legislative term last Monday after being not in convene for around three months.

In accordance to constitutional Article no. 115, the Parliament shall continue its session at least for nine months, that could be renewed throughout its term. Reconstruction and

The parliament has began on January 13 with attendance of above 500 members after three years of absence, for the first time during President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi’s ruling.

The new term is scheduled to witness approval of certain laws that will include rights of persons with disabilities, external regulations for media and press institution, cuber crime law, labour unions, criminal procedures and consumer protection procedures.

The second legislative term that concluded on 5 June, witnessed the approval of 217 laws, which was higher than what was approved during the first round that witnessed approval of 82 bills.

Among the laws approved during the second term, Non-Governmental Organization Law, amendments to Protest Law and criminal procedures, Law of Illegal Immigration and Human Trafficking, and investment law.