Court dissolves Egypt parliament
Egypt’s highest court has ordered the country’s Islamist-dominated parliament dissolved, saying its election about six months ago was unconstitutional.
The Supreme Constitutional Court ruled that a third of the parliament was elected illegally.
As a result, it says in its explanation of the ruling, “the makeup of the entire chamber is illegal and, consequently, it does not legally stand”.
The explanation was carried by Egypt’s official news agency and confirmed by one of the court’s judges, Maher Sami Youssef.
The ruling means that new elections for the entire parliament will have to be held.
A lower court had ruled that the principle of equality was breached when parties fielded candidates for the third of seats set aside for independents.
Two thirds of the seats were contested by party slates.
The court also ruled that ex-president Hosni Mubarak’s last prime minister can stay in the presidential race.
The ruling would allow Ahmed Shafiq to contest the presidential run-off on Saturday and Sunday against Islamist Mohammed Morsi despite legislation banning old regime figures from running for office.
Mubarak was ousted from power last years after weeks of mass demonstrations.
