On 17 October 2020, Egypt’s official gazette published the list of 100 senators appointed by President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi to the newly established Senate. These appointments make up one-third of the 300-seat chamber, with the remaining seats filled through elections. The new Senate, replacing the dissolved Shura Council, will serve as an advisory body to the House of Representatives for a five-year term ending in 2025.
Key Points
- Senate Composition and Appointment Process ○ Total seats: 300.
- Two-thirds elected, one-third (100 members) appointed by the president.
○ Appointed members passed medical exams prior to the announcement.
○ Representation includes:
◆ 20 women
◆ 19 former military/police officers
◆ 12 political party officials
◆ 6 syndicate representatives (professional & labour)
◆ 6 political youth figures
◆ 5 members of the Coptic Orthodox Church
◆ 6 media figures & actors
◆ 16 public figures
◆ 2 judges
◆ 8 academic figures
- Notable Appointees
- Actor Yehia El-Fakharany
○ Actress Samira Abdel-Aziz
○ Journalist Emad El-Din Hussein (El-Shorouk)
○ Political leaders El-Sayed Abdel-Aal (Tagammu) and Bahaa Abu Shoka (former Wafd leader)
○ Hoda Abdel-Nasser (daughter of Gamal Abdel-Nasser)
○ Journalist Mohamed Shabana (Press Syndicate)
○ Former Lawyers Syndicate head Sameh Ashour
○ Bishop Kamel Michel
- Electoral Turnout
- First round: 8.95 million voters (14.23% turnout) from 63 million eligible.
○ Run-off: 2.83 million voters (10.22% turnout) from 28.8 million eligible.
- Senate Role and Term
- Created under 2019 constitutional amendments.
○ Replaces Shura Council (dissolved 2014).
○ Functions as advisory body to the House of Representatives.
○ First term runs until 2025.
Core Values & Themes
- Broad representation from politics, military, academia, and civil society.
- Emphasis on gender inclusion with 20% of appointees being women.
- Senate’s advisory role highlights Egypt’s constitutional reform process.