The Presidency of the European Union has been following very closely the elections for the Shura Council, the upper chamber of the Egyptian Parliament, which were held on 11 and 18 June. These were the first elections since the constitutional amendments granting the Shura Council greater powers entered into force.
The Presidency of the European Union takes note of the low turnout at these elections. It regrets that there were reportedly widespread irregularities and acts of violence. The Presidency of the European Union encourages the Egyptian authorities to investigate these occurrences thoroughly and to ensure that future elections are fair and democratic.
