Egypt’s parliament authorises Sisi to back Saudi Arabia militarily against the Houthis, with a two-thirds majority

Egypt’s parliament on Monday, October 26, gave President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi the “green light” to take the measures he deems necessary to support Saudi Arabia. The authorisation concerns the defence of the kingdom’s territory, sovereignty and holy sites against any external attack, and is given after coordination between the two countries. The decision was taken by the two-thirds majority of the chamber’s members that the constitution requires, while Yemen’s Houthis escalate their missile and drone attacks on Saudi territory.

The vote closed a process that began on October 18. The House’s communiqué says secret sessions were held on October 18, 19 and 26, under House Speaker Hisham Badawi, at Sisi’s request. Attending the sessions was Maj. Gen. Khaled Shahdy, assistant to the defence minister for constitutional and legal affairs. The chamber, the statement adds, gave the floor to a large number of MPs of every political shade, party and independent, on developments in the region and their implications for the national security of Egypt and the Arab world.

In the third and final session MPs voted by roll call and standing up. The procedure is provided for in Article 152 of the Constitution, under which the president, as supreme commander of the armed forces, may not declare war or send troops on a combat mission outside the borders without consulting the National Defence Council and approval by two-thirds of the House. Article 130 of the House’s rules says approval is given in an urgent secret session.

Linked to the National Defence Council decision

The House expressly linked its decision to what the National Defence Council decided at its meeting of October 18. The Council, under Sisi, had declared full solidarity with Saudi Arabia and decided to provide it with “every necessary and possible form of support” for the security, stability and territorial integrity of the kingdom and for the protection of the holy sites of Islam. At the same time it had asked that diplomatic efforts for de-escalation across the region continue. Sisi had asked for the emergency convening of the House on October 17, saying Egypt is ready to defend Saudi Arabia.

The authorisation was not unanimous. Members of the Egyptian Social Democratic Party voted against, following a decision of the party’s political bureau. Wafd MP Abdel Alim Dawood opposed personally, even though his party backed the decision, as did independents Diaa El-Din Dawood and Ahmed Fargali.

The same day, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Ahmed al-Tayeb, repeated his condemnation of the Houthi attacks on Mecca, Medina and surrounding areas, and on civilian infrastructure across Saudi Arabia. He called them “sinful acts” and a provocation to the feelings of nearly two billion Muslims. Attacks on Saudi territory continued on Monday, with new drone strikes that the Houthis say were carried out on the East-West pipeline pumping stations and on Riyadh airport.