Egypt’s parliament approved amendments on Wednesday to the country’s electoral law.
Lawmakers who introduced the changes said they would help achieve constitutional commitments to allocate 25 percent of seats to women and assure representation for other groups including workers, farmers, young people, Coptic Christians, people with disabilities and Egyptians living abroad.
Parliament also approved a law for electing a second chamber, or Senate, established through constitutional amendments last year.
The Senate will be an advisory body without legislative powers. It will have 300 seats and a five-year mandate, with 100 members elected via closed lists and 100 as individuals. The president will appoint the rest.
No dates have been set for elections to the two chambers though parliament’s five-year mandate expires in January.
