Egypt to hold referendum on constitutional amendments next week

Egypt will hold a popular referendum next week on proposed constitutional amendments that the parliament will pass in a final vote on Monday.

Egyptian expatriates will go to the polls on 20 April, a source close to the National Election Authority told Ahram Online on Sunday.

Egyptians at home, meanwhile, are scheduled to cast their ballots over three days, from 22 through 24 April, the source added Some 55 million Egyptians of the country’s 110 population are eligible to vote in the forthcoming referendum.

The official announcement of the dates by the NEA will follow the approval of the Egyptian parliament’s approval of the proposed constitutional amendments.

The amendments, submitted by the parliamentary majority Support Egypt coalition on 3 February, cover 12 articles in the constitution.

In addition to increasing the presidential term from four to six years, the amendments include a provision to allocate 25 percent of parliamentary seats to female candidates, reinstate the post of vice president and establish a second chamber.

A two-month national debate over the amendments show there are a lot of disagreements, particularly on the two amendments aimed at increasing the presidential term and allocating a quota of 25 percent of seats in parliament to women.

Source: Ahram Online