Ex-judge Mahgoub to replace Gebaly as Egypt’s parliament speaker

The former head of Egypt’s Supreme Judicial Council and Court of Cassation Mohamed Eid Mahgoub has emerged as the leading candidate to replace Hanafy El Gebaly as Speaker of the House of Representatives.

The New Arab's sister site Al-Araby Al-Jadeed reported that Mahgoub’s name was added at the last minute as an “independent” on the National List for Egypt, a coalition of 12 pro-government parties led by the Nation’s Future Party.

His inclusion came just before the National Election Authority closed nominations on Wednesday afternoon, fuelling speculation about a coming shift in parliamentary leadership.

"Gebaly was excluded from the lists despite completing the medical examination and efforts by some powerful figures to keep him in the post," Al-Araby Al-Jadeed quoted parliamentary sources as saying.

The same sources added that "the past few days saw extended discussions over his successor, who received backing from Ahmed Abdel Gawad - deputy head of the Nation’s Future Party and a former National Security officer - as well as approval from the security apparatus managing the list from behind the scenes".

The outlet reported that the National Election Authority accepted the revised list even though it was submitted after the official deadline, "following last-minute amendments to some names and the replacement of others within the same electoral category".

According to the sources, businessman and current head of the parliamentary Human Rights Committee, Tarek Radwan, was reintroduced on the list for Cairo after initially being excluded.

Al-Araby Al-Jadeed said Radwan had been dropped under a new rule barring MPs who have served two consecutive terms.

This also affected senior figures such as Local Administration Committee head Ahmed El-Sigini, Youth and Sports Committee head Mahmoud Hussein, Industry Committee head Mohamed Mostafa El-Sallab, and Transport Committee head Alaa Abed.

Mahgoub, who graduated from Cairo University’s Faculty of Law in 1976, has spent nearly five decades in the judiciary. He served as a prosecutor and judge in various capacities before being appointed deputy head of the Court of Cassation in 1999.

Between 2001 and 2009, he served as assistant secretary-general of the Supreme Judicial Council and later as technical adviser to the head of the Court of Cassation.

He also held the post of assistant justice minister in 2017 before being appointed by President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi as head of the Supreme Judicial Council and Court of Cassation in 2022.

Upon reaching the retirement age of 70 in 2023, Egyptia President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi awarded Mahgoub the Order of the Republic, First Class. Al-Araby Al-Jadeed noted that his reputation for discipline and loyalty to the state made him an appealing choice for the position of Speaker.

The paper added that Gebaly, now 76, lost favour despite years of close alignment with the presidency.

He had gained prominence in 2017 when, as head of the Constitutional Court, he ruled against State Council decisions annulling Egypt’s controversial transfer of the Tiran and Sanafir islands to Saudi Arabia. President Sisi decorated him with the same national honour following his retirement from the judiciary.

Gebaly won his parliamentary seat on the National List in 2020 and was elected Speaker with 508 out of 587 votes. His term was marked by the passage of legislation strengthening executive authority and constraining civil society.

Al-Araby Al-Jadeed quoted sources as saying that Mahgoub’s inclusion signals the state’s intention "to secure the leadership of the new parliament under figures trusted by the presidency".

His appointment, expected to be formalised after elections later this year, would extend the Nation’s Future Party’s dominance over both chambers of Egypt’s legislature.