Vocal Egyptian lawmaker in hot water again
Legislator Ahmed al-Tantawi has been referred to the Egyptian parliament’s Ethics Committee for actions some of his colleagues say tarnish the regime’s image.
CAIRO — Outspoken Egyptian opposition lawmaker Ahmed al-Tantawi is once again being taken to task, this time for promoting an initiative critical of recent constitutional amendments and calling for early presidential elections to reveal whether voters want President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to remain in office.
Tantawi posted a video about the initiative on his official YouTube account Nov. 2. The next day he presented his proposal before parliament, saying it aimed to solve political and economic crises plaguing Egypt.
Tantawi acknowledges his actions could result in his removal from parliament, but in a phone conversation with Al-Monitor, he defended his proposal. “The initiative was necessary to stir the dormant Egyptian political life," he said.
“The recent constitutional amendments are most serious. They give the president broad powers and prerogatives away from any kind of censure. This is why it was necessary to ask that such amendments be immediately revoked, especially considering that they extended the president’s term,” he added.
