THE SHOURA ASSEMBLY OF EGYPT

I - COMPOSITION

The Shoura Assembly consists of 264 members (Article 1 of Law 120 of 1980 concerning the Shoura Assembly and modifications) :

- two thirds of the members are elected ;

- the remaining one third are appointed by the President of the Republic.

II - SYSTEM OF ELECTION OR APPOINTMENT

Two thirds of Assembly members are elected by direct universal suffrage with the proviso that half are blue-collar workers and peasants.

Term of office: six years, with half of the members standing for re-election every three years.

In the event of a member's seat falling vacant, the Assembly elects someone to replace him/her until the end of the term of office ; alternatively, the President appoints a replacement if the member is one of his own appointees.

The function of an Assembly member is incompatible with that of a member of the Government.

III - POWERS OF THE AL-SHURA ASSEMBLY

The powers of the Shoura Assembly are set out in Articles 194 and 195 of the Constitution.

According to Article 194, "the Ash-Shura Assembly is charged with carrying out studies and making suggestions as it sees fit for the purposes of protecting the principles of the Revolutions of 23 July 1952 and 15 May 1971; consolidating national unity and social peace; preserving the alliance between working people and Socialist gains together with the basic components of society and its ideals, rights, freedoms and public duties; and further establishing the democratic Socialist system and enlarging its domain.'"

Article 195 of the Constitution states that, `the Shoura Assembly is charged with giving opinions on the following matters :

1. proposals relating to amendments of one or more Articles of the Constitution ;

2. draft laws that complement the Constitution ;

3. the general draft law concerning social and economic development ;

4. peace and alliance treaties, and all treaties that might affect national territory and the country's sovereign rights ;

5. draft laws submitted to it by the President of the Republic ;

6. questions relating to general State policy and to policy concerning Arab and foreign affairs that the President of the Republic submits to the Assembly.

IV - RELATIONS WITH THE OTHER ASSEMBLY AND THE EXECUTIVE

A - CALLS FOR A DEBATE

Article 129 of the Constitution provides that, `at least twenty members of the People's Assembly and the Shoura Assembly may call for a debate on a general matter in order to obtain clarification on the Minister's policy.'

B - ADOPTION OF WISHES

In accordance with Article 130 of the Constitution, members of the People's Assembly and the Shoura Assembly may adopt resolutions that formulate wishes on general issues to the President of the Council of Ministers, a Vice-Prime Minister or one of the Ministers.

C - STATEMENTS TO, AND HEARINGS OF, THE EXECUTIVE

1) President of the Republic

Under Article 202 of the Constitution, the President of the Republic may deliver a general policy overview to a joint meeting of the People's Assembly and the Shoura Assembly chaired by the President of the People's Assembly.

He may also deliver other overviews to the Shoura Assembly.

2) The Government

The Government may speak to the Assembly or one of its Commissions on a matter that lies within its competence. The President of the Council of ministers and members of the Government must be listened to by the Shoura Assembly and its commissions whenever they so request ; they may be assisted by the senior civil servants of their choice. When a vote is taking place, neither the minister nor a member of the Government may take part unless s/he is a member of the Shoura Assembly.

D - DISSOLUTION

The President of the Republic may only dissolve the Assembly in exceptional circumstances. The decree to dissolve the Assembly must include a voters' call for an election within 60 days of the dissolution decree being published. Under Article 204 of the Constitution, the Assembly meets during the ten days following the elections.

V - SUNDRY MEASURES

A - SITTINGS

The Assembly sits in public.

The Shoura Assembly may, subject to the Assembly's approval, meet in private at the request of the President of the Republic, the Government, the President of the Shoura Assembly, or of at least twenty of its members.

B - OFFICE OF THE SHOURA ASSEMBLY

The President and two Vice-presidents are elected for a three-year term at the first meeting of the ordinary annual session.

In the event of one of their seats becoming vacant, the Assembly elects a replacement who will fill that seat until the term of office expires.