A recent televised statement by Member of Parliament (MP) Mostafa Bakry regarding the House of Representatives’ former Speaker and current MP Ali Abdel Aal have stirred controversy among MPs.
Bakry said that Abdel Aal had not attended the new parliament’s sessions due to the psychological impact brought on by his shift from the role of Speaker to that of just a member.
His comments have led MPs to direct a wave of attacks against Abdel Aal, demanding during a plenary session that bylaws against the former Speaker be applied due to his absence.
Bakry claimed he knew about Abdel Aal’s removal from the Parliament Speaker role hours before the start of the opening session of the new parliament of 2021.
In an interview with the Al-Masry Al-Youm, he said, “I visited Abdel Aal twice at his home in the past few days, and he has been unaffected by the occurrences that have happened to him.”
Bakry added that Abdel Aal understood that changes are natural in political life, but that he would be unable to go to Parliament at this time. The MP also described this as a “psychological issue” for Abdel Aal, in making the shift from Speaker to MP.
He said that Abdel Aal may have some differing views with the Mostqabal Al-Watan party, the leading majority in parliament. At the same time, the change-over in Parliament following last year’s elections has caused some to believe that it was necessary to change the Parliamentary Head.
Bakry added that Abdel Aal has given much to the homeland, and over the past five years has endured much that have caused him problems in his day-to-day life away from work.
Bakry also noted that the former Speaker is a true statesman and patriotic figure, who has defended the state and its institutions and issued more than 850 laws.
