The People's Assembly starts today discussions on the report of the Constitutional Affair's Committee in response of the Egyptian President's request to amend 34 articles of the Constitution.

This request aims at reorganising the relation between the legislative and executive authorities in a way to achieve more equilibrium between them,reinforcing the parliamentary role in supervision and investigation, enhancing the cabinet role and expanding its competences, furthering the range of the government participation with the President in works of the executive authority, besides putting control measures on the president's practices in terms of the constitution when facing any dangers threatening the security of the homeland or hampering the state institutions from performing their constitutional role.

Moreover, this report displays endeavours to adopt the best electoral system guaranteeing chances of parties' representation in the parliament and the minimum quota of women seats in Parliament, promote localities and enhance their executive and monitoring responsibilities, adopt a new law for combating terrorism, and reinforce the independence of the judicial authority.

The Committee of the Legislative and Constitutional Affairs expressed its opinion stressing that suggesting the amendment of Article1 which underlines the principle of citizenship as an alternative to the alliance of working forces of the people, represents one of the basics of the constitutional reform.

This amendment integrates with Article 2 saying that Islam is the religion of the State and that Arabic is the official language and principles of the Islamic Shari'a are the main source of legislation. Amendment of Article 5 concerned with political parties asserts the inevitability of the parties' subjection to all constitutional principles on top of which are citizenship and equality before law.

As to the electoral system, the report stressed that the amendments seek to provide the chance for the lawmaker to choose the system guaranteeing representation of parties in the People's Assembly and the Shura Council.

Amendment of Article 74 is concerned with the Egyptian President's use of his authorities when necessary, are defining cases of necessity when danger threatens national unity, security of the state or hamper the state institutions to pursue their constitutional role.