Latest in Tag: parliament Highlight
Latest in Tag: parliament
Full SCAF handover unlikely before 2013
Egypt’s generals will likely maintain their grip on public life long after handover deadline.
Fate of Parliament on hold
Members of Parliament resist its dissolution, but they are barred from entering the building.
Parliament discusses wages draft law
By Mennatallah Fouad Youssef CAIRO: Parliament members continued discussions of the proposed law concerning implementing a minimum and maximum wage amid continuous labor sit-ins and protests in different sectors. The proposed law presented by the planning and general budget committee would cap the maximum wage at 35 times that of the minimum wage, and thus …
Despite PA approval, political exclusion clause seen as unconstitutional
By Safaa Abdoun CAIRO: While Egyptians applauded the People’s Assembly’s (PA) decision to pass amendments to the law regulating political participation barring top Mubarak-era officials from running for president, the jury is still out on whether the law will be implemented. On Thursday, the PA agreed to add a fourth clause to Article 3 of Law …
PA approves amendment barring top Mubarak official from political life
By Safaa Abdoun CAIRO: The People’s Assembly approved Thursday amendments to the law regulating political rights participation in a bid to bar top officials from the regime of ousted President Hosni Mubarak from running for office. “After a joint session was held between the legislation and constitution committee and the complaints and suggestions committee which went …
Parliament to discuss political exclusion draft law Wednesday
By Safaa Abdoun CAIRO: The People’s Assembly’s (PA) legislation and constitution committee gave initial approval ahead of the discussion of the political exclusion draft law at the PA’s late session on Tuesday. Lawmaker Essam Sultan from Al-Wasat Party presented a political exclusion draft law, barring officials of the former regime from practicing politics. Last Sunday as …
MPs push for no-confidence vote as PA continues to slam gov’t report
By Safaa Abdoun CAIRO: The People’s Assembly (PA) criticized the government’s first annual report for its lack of vision and plan during the transitional period and its failure to propose urgent solutions to the ongoing crises as it continued to discuss the report Monday. Some MPs implied that the discussion has dragged on more than needed, …
Egypt lawmaker presents political exclusion draft law
By Mai Shams El-Din CAIRO: Lawmaker Essam Sultan said Sunday he presented a political exclusion draft law, barring officials of the former regime from practicing politics, as former intelligence chief Omar Suleiman registered his candidacy for the presidential race. The final list of candidates will be announced on April 26, leaving almost no time for parliament …
Tug of war over Constituent Assembly escalates
By Heba Hesham CAIRO: Head of the Journalists’ Syndicate, Mamdouh El-Wali said Saturday that the syndicate adheres to its decision to withdraw from the Constituent Assembly, describing the withdrawal as a national duty. According to the official Middle East News Agency (MENA), the syndicate will only back-peddle on its decision if Al-Azhar and the Church and …
People’s Assembly slams government report
By Heba Hesham CAIRO: Egypt’s lawmakers slammed the government’s first annual report to parliament, which was presented by Prime Minister Kamal El-Ganzoury on Feb. 26. Parliament convened Sunday to resume discussion of a PA committee report on the Cabinet’s statement, devoting five sessions to the subject, which many see as a step towards a no-confidence …
Dispute over Constituent Assembly reaches stalemate
By Heba Hesham CAIRO: While members of the Constituent Assembly tasked with drafting the constitution believe abiding by Al-Azhar’s document would solve the controversy over the assembly’s make-up, members who have withdrawn, however, say it is not enough. Key members of the 100-member assembly said in their second meeting Wednesday that the only way out of …
Ministers walk out of PA session upon corruption allegations
By Safaa Abdoun CAIRO: Accusations of government corruption by an MP Thursday triggered a walkout by ministers who left the PA session in objection. Commenting on the government’s annual report, MP Ashraf Badreldin alleged that ministers pocket money from special funds. “There are no measures to combat corruption in the management of special funds,” said the …
Parliament, government disagree on IMF loan
By Aya Batrawy / AP CAIRO: An International Monetary Fund team was due to leave Cairo Wednesday without securing an agreement over a $3.2 billion loan to help boost the nation’s battered economy. Holding up the deal was political wrangling between the Islamist-dominated parliament and the government, an arm of the ruling military. Economists say Egypt …
PA ends session due to government no-show
By Safaa Abdoun CAIRO: People’s Assembly Speaker Saad El-Katatny ended Wednesday’s session shortly after it started because Cabinet ministers were absent. “I’m telling the government and the Egyptian people that the [PA] you voted for is capable of withdrawing the confidence from the government and determining the responsibilities of the prime minister,” said El-Katatny. The Freedom …
Katatny urges swifter response to government from PA committee
By Heba Fahmy CAIRO: Parliament speaker Saad El-Katatny urged a People’s Assembly committee during Monday’s session to present its response to the government’s statement by the end of this week for discussion, a step believed to be geared towards a no-confidence vote. MP Hatem Azzam, representing the Civilization Party, questioned why it was taking the PA’s …
Parliament offers condolences on Pope Shenouda’s passing
By Heba Fahmy CAIRO: Members of Parliament stood for a minute of silence to mourn the passing of Pope Shenouda III, after offering their condolences to the Egyptian people during Monday’s session. Pope Shenouda III of Alexandria passed away on Saturday at the age of 88. His body is placed on the papal throne in the …
NGO calls for annulling parliament legitimacy after seizing half of constituent Assembly
By Heba Hesham CAIRO: The Lawyers’ Union for Legal Studies and Democracy called upon political parties, civil society organizations, syndicates and individuals to withdraw legitimacy from both houses of the parliament and the Constituent Assembly that will draft the constitution, claiming they are unconstitutional. The People’s Assembly and the Shoura Council decided that 50 percent of …
Parliament to approve final criteria of Constituent Assembly Saturday
By Heba Hesham CAIRO: Elected MPs of both houses of parliament are to hold a joint meeting Saturday to agree on the final criteria for electing members of the Constituent Assembly that would draft the constitution in accordance with the 353 proposals received so far. By March 8, the parliament’s general secretariat had gathered all the …
Bonfire of the banalities
By Philip Whitfield CAIRO: Grace and pace they have not. Filibuster and bluster they’re full of. Can you believe the new crop of rags-to-riches whistle-stoppers are turning down a billion US dollars and some because their pride is hurt? More likely they’ve been tipped off the US aid package to Egypt will end up as small …
PA calls for expelling Israeli ambassador
By Heba Fahmy CAIRO: The People’s Assembly (PA) committee for Arab affairs called Monday for expelling the Israeli ambassador in Egypt and recalling the Egyptian ambassador in Tel Aviv, in condemnation of Israel’s “barbaric crimes” against the Palestinians. The call came as Israeli warplanes pounded anew the Gaza Strip raising the death toll from four days …
PA seeks to withdraw confidence from Ganzoury government
By Safaa Abdoun CAIRO: The People’s Assembly will take steps towards withdrawing confidence from Egypt’s government, parliament speaker Saad El-Katatny said during Sunday’s session. After listening to statements from the ministers of international cooperation, aviation and justice regarding the NGO trial, El-Katatny asked MPs to vote on withdrawing confidence from Prime Minister Kamal El-Ganzoury’s government. Forty-three …
MPs call for dismissal of Egypt’s int’l cooperation minister
By Heba Hesham CAIRO: A number of parliamentarians used a sharp tone on Sunday against Prime Minister Kamal El-Ganzoury’s government and called for the dismissal of Minister of International Cooperation Fayza Aboul Naga, after a travel ban was lifted on the foreigners in the NGOs trial, allowing them to leave the country. Aboul Naga is known …
Joint parliamentary session failed to reach concrete decisions, say analysts
By Heba Hesham CAIRO: Analysts criticized Saturday’s joint session of the People’s Assembly and Shoura Council for failing to reach concrete decisions as political powers remain divided over selecting the members of the constituent assembly. The joint session Saturday was meant to discuss criteria for selecting members of the constituent assembly, who will then draft Egypt’s …
Parliament to probe ‘interference’ in NGO foreigners travel ban
By Agencies CAIRO: Egypt’s parliament is to probe and “hold accountable” anyone who intervened to allow foreign activists on trial to leave the country, the speaker of the house said on Saturday. Saad Al-Katatni, the speaker of the People’s Assembly, said parliament would summon Prime Minister Kamal El-Ganzoury on March 11 to explain the decision …
Egypt lawmakers to appoint constitutional panel March 24
By AFP CAIRO: Egypt’s People’s Assembly and Shoura Council will appoint a panel to draft a new constitution on March 24, the speaker said on Saturday, in what will likely be a tug of war between the dominant Islamists and liberals. Members of both houses will hold several joint sessions to discuss the criteria for …
Political parties debate no-confidence vote against Egypt government
By Heba Fahmy CAIRO: Political parties and figures are divided over a possible no-confidence vote against Prime Minister Kamal El-Ganzoury’s government. Several parties, including the Freedom and Justice Party (FJP), which holds around 47 percent of the seats in the People’s Assembly, are considering passing a no-confidence vote against the Cabinet of Ministers. “Either the …
PA approves amendments on Articles 30, 38 in presidential elections law
By Heba Fahmy CAIRO: The People’s Assembly gave its initial approval of amendments to Articles 30 and 38 of the presidential elections law, to guarantee the transparency and integrity of the elections and its results. The amendments will be referred to the Supreme Constitutional Court to decide whether they are constitutional or not within 15 days. …
PA rejects request to refer Bakry to special committee
By Heba Fahmy CAIRO: Parliament voted Monday against referring independent MP Mostafa Bakry to a special committee for calling Nobel Laureate Mohamed ElBaradei a foreign “agent.” PA Speaker Mohamed Saad El-Katatny said that this decision didn’t represent an opinion against ElBaradei, who’s a valued Egyptian citizen who has received the Order of the Nile. “The PA …
PM reiterates economic challenges in annual report to parliament
By Heba Hesham CAIRO: The prime minister reiterated to parliament Sunday previous statements about Egypt’s worsening economic conditions, less than a week after the party controlling the majority criticized the government’s failure. In the government’s first annual report to the recently elected parliament, Prime Minister Kamal El-Ganzoury said that Western and Arab countries haven’t honored their …
Parliament to meet to elect constitution body March 3
By Dina Zayed / Reuters CAIRO: Egypt’s military rulers invited parliament’s two houses to convene on Saturday to elect an assembly tasked with writing the country’s first constitution since the overthrow of Hosni Mubarak. A tug-of-war has already begun over the shape of the future document that will define the balance of power between the army-backed …