Cairo – Egypt’s first legislature in more than three years, a 596-seat chamber packed with supporters of President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, has convened.
The assembly, elected in November and December, is also the first elected chamber since el-Sisi, as military chief, led the ouster of President Mohammed Morsi in 2013 following massive protests against the Islamist leader and his Muslim Brotherhood.
Sunday’s session is mostly a procedural one, with lawmakers taking the oath in turn. The chamber is also expected to elect a speaker and two deputies.
The last parliament was dominated by Islamists and dissolved by a court ruling in 2012.
The new chamber’s first task will be to ratify some 300 presidential decrees issued by el-Sissi since taking office in June 2014 and interim president Adly Mansour before him.
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