Egypt's elections authority restructured; Hazem Badawy named new head

Radwa ElSayed Hani , Wednesday 4 Oct 2023

Egypt's President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi issued a presidential decree of a new formation of the National Elections Authority (NEA) on Wednesday. Judge Hazem Badawy, vice president of the Court of Cassation, will head the authority starting 9 October 2023.

Hazem Badawy
New head of Egypt's National Elections Authority Judge Hazem Badawy

 

Badawy will succeed judge Walid Hamza, who was appointed as head of the authority in June, to complete the six-year term of late judge Lashin Ibrahim. The term ends on 8 October.

The NEA announced the inclusion of four new board members: Mohsen Dardiri, president of the Court of Appeal; Mahmoud Rashid, vice president of the State Council; Abdel-Hamid Nagashi, vice president of the State Lawsuits Authority; and Hani Gadallah, vice president of the Administrative Prosecution Authority.

The new board members succeed their predecessors who ended their six-year term: Yasser Al-Maabadi, president of the Court of Appeal; Murad Fikri, vice president of the State Council; Abdel-Salam Mahmoud, vice president of the State Lawsuits Authority; and Mohamed Abu Deif, vice president of the Administrative Prosecution Authority.

Badawy graduated from the Faculty of Law in 1985. He became a judge in the Court of Cassation in 2008, and vice president of the Court of Cassation in 2010. In 2015, Badawy was appointed for two years as the assistant minister of justice for specialised court affairs.

According to the Egyptian constitution, the NEA consists of 10 members equally from vice presidents of the Court of Cassation, presidents of the Court of Appeal, vice presidents of the State Council, vice presidents of the State Lawsuits Authority, and vice presidents of the Administrative Prosecution Authority.

Members of the authority are selected by the Supreme Judicial Council and respective special and supreme councils of these judicial entities.

Board members are appointed through full secondment for one non-renewable term for six years. The authority is headed by the most senior member from the Court of Cassation.

Established per the 2014 constitution, the NEA is the independent body responsible for organising and managing elections.

The reshuffle on Wednesday took place one day before potential presidential candidates commence the registration of their candidacies, which will take place from 5 to 14 October 2023.

Notary offices have started receiving endorsements for candidates on 25 September.

Voting in Egypt will take place 10-12 December, with Egyptians abroad casting their votes 1-3 December.

 

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