Egypt Prime Minister Sherif Ismail (AP)
Egyptian prime minister Sherif Ismail said Thursday that the long-delayed elections of municipal representatives in Egypt will be held before "end of year".
Ismail urged during a cabinet meeting the completion of a local administration law governing the operation of municipalities, which he said is aimed to promote greater governance and more decentralisation, state news agency MENA reported.
He added the law will pave the way to municipal elections that will be held before the end of 2016.
Egypt last held municipal polls in 2008 while Hosni Mubarak was in power.
The 52,000 local office posts have been dominated by figures from the now-disbanded National Democratic Party.
Under the country's 2014 constitution, a quarter of municipal seats will be allocated for women and a quarter for youths.
Following the 2011 revolution that toppled Mubarak, many Egyptians have pinned hope on electing new blood in municipal elections to stem widespread financial and administrative corruption in municipalities and improve local services.
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