The parliament approved on Tuesday the extension of the state of emergency for three months, starting from 27 January until 27 April. Two-thirds of the House voted in favour of the extension. Parliament speaker Ali Abdel Aal said he had received a letter from President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi on 12 January, ordering the extension of the state of emergency. The parliamentary committee of defence and national security prepared a report on the extension which parliament discussed on Tuesday's session before the voting. Ali Abdel Aal said that he had received a letter from the President on 12 January, extending the state of emergency. Article 131 of the internal regulations of the parliament states, "The majority of the members of the parliament must agree to declare a state of emergency, and its declaration shall be for a specified period, not exceeding three months, and it is only extended for another similar period after the approval of two thirds of the members of parliament.” The new extension will start from 27 January until April, as the current period that began in October will end on 26 January. "The declaration of a state of emergency is a necessary measure in light of the circumstances that Egypt is facing internally and regionally, and for the continuation of the state's efforts to root out terrorism," according to the statement by the cabinet. In November 2019, Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly said the extension is necessary to help police and army forces fight terrorist groups and help the state implement development programmes in a climate of stability. The prime minister asserted that the government is committed to use this state of emergency to ensure a balance between the protection of public freedoms and the requirements of national security. The current state of emergency was imposed in Egypt for the first time in April 2017 following two terrorist attacks that hit two churches, killing 46 people.
