Egypt parliamentary election set for September

Egypt will hold a legislative election in September and will lift emergency laws before the vote, the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces said on Monday.

"The legislative elections will be held in September," said General Mamduh Shahin of the supreme military council that has been ruling Egypt since Mubarak quit on February 11 under pressure from street protests.

A date for the next presidential election will be announced later, Shahin said, without elaborating.

The legislative election date means parties that were crushed under Hosni Mubarak's rule have some five months to prepare for the first free parliamentary polls in decades.

The military council has ruled Egypt since Mubarak was toppled from power on Feb. 11. It plans to relinquish power to a civilian government once a presidential election is held.

"Parliamentary elections will be in September," Shaheen said. "We have said before that parliamentary or presidential polls will not be held while emergency law is still in force," he added.

The military council also approved a law that eases restrictions on the formation of political parties. Shaheen said new parties would need the approval of 5,000 members from at least 10 of Egypt's 29 provinces.