Egypt's lawmakers consider merging small parties
The idea of merging small political parties is a subject of debate between two camps in Egypt: One thinks it would lead to real competition, while the other believes it would stifle public participation.
CAIRO — Does Egypt really need 107 political parties? That question is sparking debate between politicians who want to preserve the status quo and those who advocate shaking things up in Egyptian politics.
A number of Egyptian parliamentarians are calling for Egypt's 107 political parties — some of which aren't even active — to merge into four or five powerful parties. Ahmed Refaat, a member of parliament’s Communications and Information Technology Committee, told Al-Monitor he has prepared a bill to that effect.
Refaat said he is currently collecting signatures from parliament members to have the bill discussed. As of late April, he had collected about 30 signatures; 60 are required.
According to Refaat, the proposed legislation aims to establish a Political Parties Committee whose members would be appointed by parliament and would be tasked with monitoring parties' work. The committee would encourage national parties to take part in local elections and establish offices across Egypt's provinces.
