Initial number of parliamentary candidates announced in Egypt

Egypt's High Elections Commission announced Tuesday the initial number of candidates registered for the parliamentary elections scheduled to start on Nov. 28. Abdel-Moez Ibrahim, chairman of the commission, said 6,591 candidates will compete as individuals for one third of the 498- member People's Assembly's (the lower house) seats, while 590 party lists will contest for two thirds of its seats, official MENA news agency reported. The Shura Council's (the upper house) 270 seats will be contested by 2,036 candidates and 272 party lists. The candidacy registration began on Oct. 12 and ended on Oct. 24, but candidates still need to pass qualification checks. The first stage of the People's Assembly elections will start on Nov. 28 and the Shura Council elections on Jan. 29. Both elections will run for three stages. An administrative court ruled Tuesday that Egyptian expatriates have the right to vote in the upcoming parliamentary elections, and the government has to establish constituencies for them in the Egyptian embassies abroad.