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Slew of strange bills brings more controversy for Egypt's parliament

Proposed legislation on topics such as charging fees to access Facebook and restricting baby names has led many Egyptians to complain that the country’s legislators aren’t tackling the nation's pressing problems.
A general view of Egypt's parliament in Cairo, Egypt, February 16, 2017. Picture taken February 16, 2017. REUTERS/Atef Hussein - RTS10OFE

When the Egyptian parliament convened its inaugural session on Jan. 10, 2016, Egyptians had hoped the new legislature would fare better than its predecessor, the Islamist-dominated assembly, which was dissolved by court order in June 2012 after the Supreme Constitutional Court deemed the election process “unconstitutional.” Just weeks before the new parliament’s inauguration, Sameh Seif Al Yazal, a former intelligence officer who is now deceased, announced the formation of the In Support of Egypt Coalition — a parliamentary majority bloc that made no secret of its support for President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi’s policies. Skeptics warned that with no real opposition in parliament, it would be no more than a rubber stamp legislature, heavily tilted toward the regime.

Despite the warnings, few Egyptians were prepared for what was to come.

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