Parliament endorses amendment of article 76

Egypt's People's Assembly Constitutional and Legislative Committee agreed during a meeting yesterday under speaker Ahmed Fathi Sorour to amend article 76 of the constitution which would allow contested presidential elections in Egypt. The committee introduced an amendment allowing political parties to take part in the presidential elections without any restrictions or conditions.

As for independent candidates, the committee said any candidate must get the signatures of 300 members of the parliamentary and local councils, including 65 members of the People's Assembly and 25 members of the Shura Council, in addition to 10 members of the local councils in at least 14 governorates.

The committee said any candidate for the presidency must get five per cent of seats of the people's Assembly and Shura Council.

Sorour said political parties founded more than five years ago will have the right to name a candidate on condition that the party get at least five per cent of the Shura Council and People's Assembly seats.

Meanwhile, the Parliamentary Committee of the National Democratic Party (NDP) at the People's Assembly and Shura Council agreed during a meeting yesterday under Safwat El Sherif, the NDP Secretary-General, on amending article 76 of the constitution.