Egypt's first parliament in 3 years convenes
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CAIRO - Egypt's first legislature in more than three years, a 596-seat chamber packed with supporters of President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi, held its inaugural session on Sunday, signaling the completion of a political road map announced after the 2013 military overthrow of an elected Islamist president.
The assembly, elected in November and December, is the first legislature since al-Sisi, as military chief, led the 2013 ouster of President Mohammed Morsi following mass protests against the Islamist leader and his Muslim Brotherhood. The new parliament replaces one dominated by Islamists that was dissolved by a court ruling in June 2012.
The new chamber's first task will be to ratify some 300 presidential decrees issued by al-Sisi since taking office in June 2014 and Interim President Adly Mansour before him. Under the constitution, these decrees must be ratified within 15 days starting from the date of the inaugural session. Failure to do so will result in the automatic repeal of the laws.
