IPU MISSION SUPPORTS EGYPT ON PARLIAMENTARY ELECTION LAW

An IPU expert mission to Egypt will work with authorities there on revising a law governing parliamentary elections ahead of new polls for the lower house of parliament in the coming weeks.

The mission on 13-14 January is part of on-going IPU support to Egypt in efforts to build a democratic society.

The team of experts specializing in electoral processes, women’s political participation and an MP from the UK, will provide advice on a range of issues. This includes putting in place the most reliable measures to elect a greater number of women to the Egyptian parliament. Egypt currently has only 15 women MPs, representing 2.0 percent of the total number of parliamentarians.

The Arab country uses a mixture of both proportional representation and first-past-the-post systems to elect members of parliament. Quotas and reserved seats are often the most effective ways to ensure a more representative parliament.

The Egyptian parliament is amending the law governing parliamentary elections, due to be finalized in the coming weeks, after a new constitution was approved last month.

The revised law will need to be accompanied by other measures to ensure increased women’s political participation. These include efforts to raise electoral awareness among the public on voting for women, training women candidates on campaign methods and ensuring media cover of women candidates on the hustings.