Members of the pro-government Support Egypt parliamentary bloc were elected to head a large number of parliament's 25 committees Wednesday. MPs affiliated with the Wafd, the Free Egyptians, and Future of the Homeland Party also won leading posts. The list of the Support Egypt winners includes Osama Heikal, a former information minister and current chairman of the Egyptian Media Production City (EMPC), who was re-elected head of parliament's media, culture and antiquities committee. Alexandria businessman and industrialist and Support Egypt member Farag Amer was elected head of the industry committee. Abdel-Hadi Al-Qasabi, head of the Support Egypt coalition, was elected head of the social solidarity committee uncontested. Tarek Radwan, the former head of the foreign affairs committee, was elected head of the African affairs committee. Gibali Al-Maraghi, head of the General Egyptian Federation of Trade Unions, was re-elected head of the manpower committee. Alaa Wali, a Giza governorate MP, was elected head of the housing committee. Hesham Abdel-Wahed was elected head of the transport committee. Ahmed Samir, the former head of the industry committee, was elected head of the economic affairs committee. High-profile MPs who were also re-elected also include Kamal Amer, the former chief of Military Intelligence, as head of the defence and national security committee; Ahmed Raslan as head of the Arab affairs committee; Wafd party lawyer Bahaaeddin Abu Shuqa as head of the legislative and constitutional affairs committee; Alaa Abed, spokesperson of the parliamentary group of Future of the Homeland Party, was re-elected head of the human rights committee; Ashraf Rashad, a leading member of the Future of the Homeland Party, as head of the youth and sports committee, and Hesham Al-Shini, a Wafdist MP, as head of the agriculture committee. Ahmed Al-Signi, secretary-general of the Support Egypt coalition, was re-elected head of the local administration committee. Hamam Al-Adli, a leading Support Egypt member, was elected head of the complaints and proposals committee. Sami Hashem was elected head of the education committee. Physician Mohamed Al-Amary was elected head of the health committee. Ahmed Badawi was elected head of the telecommunications committee. Hussein Eissa, former head of Ain Shams University, was elected chairman of the budget and plan committee. Karim Darwish, a leading member of the Support Egypt coalition, was elected head of the foreign affairs committee. Kamal Marie was elected head of the middle and small-scale enterprises committee. Amr Sedki was elected head of the tourism committee instead of Sahar Talaat Mostafa. The results show that female MPs were not able to be elected head of any of parliament's committees. While just two – Sherine Farrag and Dina Abdel-Aziz – ran to head the committees of environment and youth and sports, but lost, none were nominated by the Support Egypt coalition to head any committee. Source: Ahram Online
