Egypt president regulates parliament set-up, political rights

Egyptian Interim President Adly Mansour on Thursday issued two decree-laws regulating the formation of the Peoples' Assembly (lower house of parliament) and the exercise of political rights.
The Peoples' Assembly decree, adopted after consultations with the Supreme Judiciary Council, the State Council and the Cabinet, stipulates that the coming lower house will be made up of 540 members who will be elected by secret ballot.
A total of 420 seats were allocated for individual candidates while the remaining 120 are slated for lists of political party candidates, Presidential Spokesman Ehab Badawi said in a press release.
The head of state can appoint five percent of the total number of MPs as per the set regulations, Badawi pointed out.
The decree on the exercise of political rights amends an old law; its executive statute will be issued by the higher election committee, the spokesman added