Egypt's parliament has expelled two MPs for holding dual citizenship, a parliamentary source told AFP Thursday, bringing into question the future of several MPs, including government ministers, with two passports.
The parliament stripped independent MP Rami Lakah of his seat in central Cairo for holding dual Egyptian-French citizenship, following a Cairo administrative court ruling in January that cancelled his election last year.
The parliament also expelled Talaat Motawee, a National Democratic Party MP from the northern Egyptian town of Belkass, for holding Egyptian and US citizenship.
In early September, Egyptian Parliament Speaker Fathi Srour said that the country’s immigration and citizenship laws would not be amended to allow citizens with dual nationality to run for office or vote.
“The verdict issued by the Higher Administrative court against the independent MP Rami Lakah is not open for discussion by Parliament because such verdicts should be implemented immediately without questioning,” added Srour.
Srour described the verdict as the first of its type in the history of the Egyptian Parliament, laying the foundation for new constitutional and legal principles – Albawaba.com
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