"Egypt is entering a new era with the People's Assembly's approval of the Constitutional amendments on Monday19/3/2007," People's Assembly Speaker Ahmed Fathi Sorour said in statements on Tuesday20/3/2007.

Sorour said the government system in Egypt is taking on an increasingly parliamentary nature, with the parliament endowed with full powers to monitor the government performance.

The People's Assembly Speaker said the amendments have laid down a constitutional base for facing terrorism in accordance with the criterion of necessity and proportion and under judicial supervision, citing the criminal procedure law in both Spain and Italy in facing terrorism.

Sorour further attributed objection to constitutional amendments to political reasons, adding that many of the constitutional concepts needed to be explained by law experts.

He also voiced satisfaction over the outcome of Monday's session, during which 315 MPs voted in favour of amending all 34 constitutional articles as proposed.