At the beginning of the forum, Dr. M. Kamal Amin, the National Democratic Party's Secretary of Training and Orientation said that the proposed ban on political activities and parties based on religion (Article 5) is closely associated with the principle of citizenship. While organizing the relationship between Religion and the State, there is no intent to prejudice any group.

Dr. Amin asserted that banning political activities based on religion would strengthen political parties and make room for better representation in Parliament.

The NDP's Secretary of Training and Orientation added that consensus was reached over the fact that the present electoral system does not ensure that parties are well represented in Parliament. However, he said, no article of the Constitute will stipulate the system to be adopted. A law on a new electoral system, which will meet the demands of all political parties, will be submitted for approval by lawmakers soon.

Dr. Amin noted that although Article 76 of the Constitution stipulates that "Political parties … whose members have obtained at least 5% of the elected members of both the People's Assembly and the Shura Council, may nominate for the presidency a member of their respective upper board," a new percentage will be set based on dialogue between various parties.

According to Dr. Amin, citizenship as a concept under the proposed amendments, will be the opener of the Constitution. It will replace Article 1, which stipulates that "the Arab Republic of Egypt is a democratic, socialist state based on the alliance of the working forces of the people."

Speaking about the importance of the Constitutional amendments to women's status in Egypt, the NDP's Secretary of Training and Orientation said that there are two aspects to this issue. The Constitutional aspect, which will guarantee better representation of women in Parliament and the legal aspect, which will translates this into laws.

Shura Council Member Dr. Shawqi al-Sayed, on his part, said that political parties, created under Law No. 40 for 1977, have now reached 23. Although their number may be big, their status requires revision. It is not enough to introduce amendments to Article 76. The parties should act towards strengthening themselves. They should create their own community base and continue to be present on the political front.

Dr. Fakhri Abdul-Nour, Secretary-General of al-Wafd Party attempted to clarify the point that all Christian Democratic parties in Europe are civil parties, established in the wake of WWII to counter Communism. Under no circumstances would it be right to establish religious parties in Egypt, the country being founded on national unity. Allowing political parties to be created based on religion would mean the collapse of our country.

Dr. Nabil Helmi, member of the NDP Secretariat of Policies, taking the floor, described the process of modernizing the Constitution as both difficult and complex, since it does not address specific but general issues with bearing on all Egyptians.

On the concept of citizenship, Dr. Helmi said he believed it to be one of the most precarious issues. Ethnic and religious in-fighting is a real scare. We see it clearly happening in Iraq, Lebanon and Sudan. A must-do is to avoid this taking place in Egypt. Laws alone are not enough to prevent it. Citizenship is based on equality.