Egypt's parliament will reconvene 4 October, starting its second legislative session aftera parliamentary recess, a presidential decree announced Thursday.
This session will discuss key bills on top of the agenda, including the long-awaited press bill and long-desputed civil service law that was approved in principle and was refered to the State Council to assess its constitutionality as a final step before passing the law.
Parliament's first legislative session (2015-2016) concluded in the first week of September after ratifying the long-delayed value added tax (VAT) and church building law.
Article 115 of the 2014 Constitution stipulates that the duration of each of parliament's five legislative sessions must be at least nine months (or from October to July).
Egypt’s newly elected parliament convened for the first time in four years in January 2016.
The country had been without a parliament since the previous House of Representatives, elected in late 2011, was dissolved in June 2012 after a court ruled key electoral laws to be unconstitutional.
The president weilded legislative powers until the election of the present parliament.
