The first phase of Egypt'sparliamentary elections will start on 17-18 October for Egyptians abroad and 18-19 October for voters inside Egypt, the Higher Electoral Commission (HEC) announced in a press conference late Sunday. Judge Ayman Abbas, head of HEC, added that the second phase of the elections would start on 21-22 November for Egyptians abroad and 22-23 November for Egyptians in Egypt. The run-offs for the first phase will take place on 26-27 October for Egyptians abroad and 27-28 October for voters inside Egypt. The first phase includes elections in the governorates Giza, Fayoum, Beni Suef, Minya, Assiut, New Valley, Sohag, Qena, Luxor, Aswan, Red Sea, Alexandria, Beheira and Marsa Matrouh. The run-offs for the second phase will take place on 30 November and 1 December for Egyptians abroad and 1 December and 2 December for voters inside Egypt. The second phase includes elections in Cairo, Qalioubiya, Daqahliya, Menoufiya, Gharbiya, Kafr Al-Sheikh, Al Sharqiya, Damietta, Port Said, Ismailia, Suez, North Sinai and South Sinai governorates. Abbas added that nomination starts on 1 September and would last for 12 days. Egypt's parliamentary elections were set to be held on 21 March, but were postponed after the Egyptian Supreme Constitutional Court (SCC) struck down the Elections Constituency Division Law and said that it is unconstitutional. Egypt has been without a parliament since the house of representatives elected in late 2011 was dissolved in June 2012, following a court ruling that stated the law regulating its election to be unconstitutional. Egypt's President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi holds legislative powers until an elected parliament convenes. Parliamentary elections constitute the third and final step in a political roadmap set after the ouster of former Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in July 2013. The first two steps included passing a constitution in January 2014, followed by presidential elections in June 2014. Source: Ahram Online
