Egyptian Parliament (Reuters)
Egypt's parliament said in a statement Tuesday that both parliament and the government have begun this week coordinating the agenda for the coming legislative season of 2019/20.
"I and Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Omar Marwan have decided to begin preparing this agenda very early, and ahead of the start of the coming, and final, season of parliament, which is due to begin before the first Thursday of October and continue until June 2020,” said Deputy Speaker Soliman Wahdan.
According to Wahdan, it was initially agreed that "four political laws should be on the top of parliament's agenda in its fifth, and final, legislative season."
"These laws are important and need a lot of time for discussion and national dialogue inside and outside parliament and so they have to be submitted early by the government," said Wahdan, revealing that "these comprise laws on the exercise of political rights, the election of the House of Representatives, the election of the Senate, and the redrawing of electoral districts."
Many also expect that the long-awaited law on the performance and election of local councils will be also discussed.
Wahdan revealed that he and Marwan had also agreed that the election of the House of Representatives and the Senate should be held at the same time at the end of 2020.
"This is an international standard, not to mention that it is necessary to save costs," said Wahdan.
Constitutional amendments passed in a public referendum last April created an upper house of parliament, named the Senate.
A government-drafted law submitted to parliament in June proposed that the Senate include 240 members, two thirds of which are to be elected and one third to be named by the president.
Parliament Speaker Ali Abdel-Aal said political laws should be discussed first in a national dialogue.
"This kind of law should seek as much popular and political consensus as possible before coming to parliament," said Abdel-Aal.
"The law on the formation of a new Senate will be discussed in parliament's coming, final legislative season and after all political forces present their comments and proposed amendments to this law."
"And at the end, we hope that a two-house bicameral system will help activate Egypt's political life," said Abdel-Aal.
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