People's Assembly Speaker Ahmed Fathi Sorour said that the amendments of 34 constitutional articles, proposed by President Hosni Mubarak, would bring about an unprecedented leap in the political life in Egypt.

In statements to MENA Board Chairman and Editor-in-Chief Abdullah Hassan, Sorour said that the constitutional amendments backed partisan freedom and the principle of citizenship.

The amendments also aim to promote the democratic practices through an electoral system chosen by the citizens.

The People's Assembly Speaker said that deliberations on constitutional amendments started two years ago, after President Mubarak outlined the main contours of constitutional amendments in his electoral platform.

Sorour underlined that all viewpoints and suggestions on the amendments were presented by the various parties to the PA Constitutional and Legislative Committee.

During the assembly's sessions, all suggestions proposed by the MPs, professors and public figures were heard, Sorour noted.

The assembly had referred the final draft of the constitutional amendments bill to the Shura Council after its initial endorsement by the Constitutional and Legislative Committee, Sorour said.

The panel will convene Tuesday evening for final endorsement of the bill ahead of putting it up for a public referendum, he added.

On barring formation of political parties on religious grounds, Sorour said that such a text was mentioned in a constitutional article related to the political system and the ruling system.

The political system regulates people's expression of opinion to come to office, said Sorour, adding, the ruling system represented the state's powers.

The political system in Egypt is the road to the ruling system, said Sorour.

As long as the ruling system is subjected to the rule of law, which separates politics and religion, hence the formation of parties must be subjected to law and not religion, Sorour expounded.

In the same context, Sorour stressed that the Islamic Sharia (jurisdiction) is the main source of legislation.

Regarding the impact of constitutional amendments proposed by President Hosni Mubarak on the Egyptian political life, the People's Assembly speaker said Egypt is advancing towards a new stage of political reform aiming at entrenching democratic practices.

He highlighted the right to form political parties, maintaining that such parties should not be religious-based or having religious reference.

Religion and political life are separated, he said.

Sorour expounded that the ruling system should be built only on law, noting that the Egyptian political system was a multi-party one.

Under the amendments, the cabinet needs the People's Assembly approval via its programme to be presented to the parliament in 60 days after the formation of the government, he said.

The parliament can also sack the government, he said, adding that the parliament will have the power to vote down the government without resorting to a public referendum.

The cabinet's responsibilities will be expanded and it will have a larger part to play in the executive authority, said Sorour, noting it meant more supervision by the parliament.

The People's Assembly speaker said the Shura Council's legislative powers will be expanded to include constitutional amendments, said Sorour.

In his interview with MENA editor, Sorour said the state would then have bicameral parliament; the People's Assembly and the Shura Council. He underscored that the constitutional amendments will lead to a quantum leap in the Egyptian political life via highlighting the importance of partisan freedom, citizenship rights and entrenching democratic practices.

Concerning Article 179 on combating terror, Sorour said the article goes in line with the international anti-terror trend, noting that the Egyptian Supreme Constitutional Court allowed breaching regular laws in facing dangers, but in proportion.

Sorour said objections are sometimes based on lack of knowledge of the constitutional conditions and principles.

Asked if amendments to Article 188 meant excluding judicial supervision on election, the People's Assembly speaker said the amendments did not aim to do so.

It just restructures the judicial supervision, he said.

Under the amendment, members of the supreme electoral committee will be independent and neutral, he added.

The supreme committee will form general committees comprising judges who would be responsible for supervision of the electoral process.

Members of the committees will enjoy the guarantees of judges throughout the electoral process, he noted.

Sorour said there was no enough judges to supervise each ballot box, adding that polling stations have increased as the Egyptian population exceeded 75m.

Concerning opposition parties' fears of rigging elections, Sorour said a public culture on free elections should prevail in Egypt as citizens are responsible along with the state and judges for holding free and transparent elections.

Concerning the citizenship rights, the People's Assembly Speaker said that such a principle is meant to underline that Egypt is home for Egyptians; both Muslims and Copts.

Islamic Sharia combines religion and law, said Sorour, adding that Egypt has considered Islamic Sharia the basis of legislation.

He expounded that Christianity did not, for example, set rules for inheritance distribution, but Islam did. These rules can apply to both Muslims and Christians.

But because Sharia has religious applications, a personal status law was then needed.

Sorour said that citizenship was meant to underscore loyalty to Egypt and that all Egyptians have equal rights and duties.

Asked about the coming procedures of constitutional amendment, Sorour said that the People's Assembly Legislative Committee will meet on Tuesday to endorse the final draft of constitutional amendments after consulting the Shura Council.

Such procedures will be taken ahead of putting the bill up for a public referendum, Sorour added.

Talking about the controversy sparked at the Assembly's sessions on the amendments and that several independent MPs withdrew from the sessions, Sorour said that "withdrawal" in the terms of voting means "abstention".

Such a matter is well-known in international organisations, said Sorour, asserting that all members of parliament are entitled to abstain from voting.

Replying to a question on his assessment of deliberations on constitutional amendments, Sorour said that discussions on the amendments started two years ago, after President Mubarak outlined the main contours of constitutional amendments in his electoral platform.

Two months ago, the deliberations were resumed after the proposal for constitutional amendments was submitted, said Sorour, adding that the People's Assembly mulled over it during six running sessions.

Regarding the initial wording of constitutional amendments, Sorour said that a sub-committee, entrusted with the initial wording of constitutional amendments, was set up according to institutional rules rather than personal selection.

Sorour said that the sub-committee was chaired by the head of the Constitutional Committee, Amal Othman, and included members Ibrahim el-Gohari, Omar el-Taher and Omar Haridi, in addition to the head of the National Democratic Party (NDP)'s parliamentary bloc, Abdul-Ahad Gamaleddin, the head of al-Wafd Party bloc Mahmoud Abaza and three members of the People's Assembly General Committee.

The sub-committee also involved two public figures; Dr Ramzi el-Shair and Counsellor Mohamed el-Daqrorie, he added.

Asked about women's stand towards the projected constitutional amendments, the parliament speaker told MENA chief editor that women represented half of the society.

It is, therefore, unquestionable that the new constitutional blueprint will offer many guarantees to give them seats at the bicameral parliament; the People's Assembly and the Shura Council.

Thus, the text was con this score, the law can set a minimum percentage for women's representation in the parliament, said Sorour.

He added that the percentage of the representation of women at the parliament will be determined after thorough discussion.