Egyptian Parliament to Resume Debate on Authorizing Armed Forces to Support Saudi Arabia Tomorrow and Day After

The Egyptian Parliament today (Sunday) adjourned a closed session convened to discuss President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi’s request to authorize the armed forces to take necessary measures to support the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, with plans to resume deliberations on the request on Monday and Tuesday.

In a statement, the Parliament noted that the session allowed the leaders of parliamentary groups to express their positions on the authorization matter.

It clarified that the discussions were held in accordance with Article 130 of the Parliament’s internal regulations, which govern the procedures for parliamentary approval of a declaration of war or the deployment of the armed forces on combat missions beyond national borders, as stipulated in Article 152 of the Constitution.

Article 152 of the Egyptian Constitution provides that approval for deploying the armed forces on external combat missions requires a two-thirds majority of Parliament members, during an urgent closed session convened at the request of the President of the Republic and after consulting the National Defense Council.

The Egyptian National Defense Council had previously decided, during a meeting chaired by President el-Sisi and attended by the speakers of the Parliament and the Cabinet, along with military commanders, to provide all necessary and feasible forms of support to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to defend its security and stability, safeguard its resources, protect its territorial integrity, and preserve Islamic holy sites.

The Council affirmed its full solidarity with Saudi Arabia, rooted in the historical ties between the peoples of the two countries and in recognition of the interconnection between Saudi, Egyptian, and Arab national security.