Army source says Egypt will lift restrictions on forming political parties after referendum

Egypt's longtime curbs on forming political parties are to be lifted after its March 19 referendum on constitutional reform.

The announcement was made by a military official who was quoted by the state news agency MENA as saying that the law on political parties will be amended as soon as the referendum is over, thus allowing for the creation of political parties through simple notification" to the authorities.

In the same context, an army source told Reuters that Egypt will lift restrictions on forming political parties that choked political life during the rule of President Hosni Mubarak after the March 19 referendum on constitutional amendments. "Egypt's parties law will be amended after the referendum takes place to allow parties to form simply based on notification," the army source pointed out.

Under Mubarak, parties needed the approval of a committee chaired by the head of the upper house of parliament, who was also a leading figure in Mubarak's ruling National Democratic Party. The committee rarely approved any such requests.