President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi is to meet on Wednesday with political party leaders to discuss amendments made to the election law, Al-Ahram Arabic news website reported. According to the amended Parliamentary Elections Law, the new parliament will consist of 596 seats: 448 for independent candidates, 120 for party-based candidates elected through lists, and 28 appointed by the president. El-Sisi's meeting with the heads of the parties will mark the first following the cabinet's amendments to the law, parts of which had earlier been ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Constitutional Court. El-Sisi is also expected to discuss his upcoming visit to Germany scheduled to take place in June, and the new Suez Canal project. Parliamentary elections constitute the third and final step in a political roadmap set forth following the ouster of Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in July 2013. The first two steps were the passage of a constitution in January 2014, followed by presidential elections in June 2014. Once in session, the parliament will review within 15 days all laws issued under President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi and his predecessor interim president Adly Mansour. Source: Ahram online
