CAIRO -

For the first time in its history, an Egyptian Christian held the position of head of the Supreme Constitutional Court, the highest Egyptian court, which sparked a wide interaction on social media.

Yesterday, Tuesday, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi issued a decision appointing Boulos Fahmy Iskandar as head of the Supreme Constitutional Court, with the rank of minister, following another decision to refer the former chief of the court, Saeed Marei Amr, to retirement, with the addition of the remaining period of time for him until the age of 70 as an exceptional period of service. Because of his health condition.

The new chief justice was sworn in before the Egyptian president this morning, Wednesday, and presidential spokesman - Bassam Radi - said that Sisi expressed "deep appreciation for the important role of the Supreme Constitutional Court, which represents an important episode in the ancient history of the Egyptian judiciary."

get out and back

According to the Egyptian government newspaper, Al-Ahram, the new head of the Supreme Constitutional Court is currently the fourth oldest judge of the court. He was born on January 1, 1957, and was appointed to the Public Prosecution in 1978 and rose in its positions until he became a judge of the Court of Appeal in 1997 and then head of the appeal in 2001.

He was also appointed as Vice-President of the Supreme Constitutional Court in 2010, then left its formation under the 2012 constitution, returning to the position of head of the Cairo Court of Appeal, and then appointed again as Vice-President of the Supreme Constitutional Court in 2014.

He also worked as a technical advisor to the Minister of Justice, Assistant to the Minister for Financial and Administrative Development Affairs, and Head of the South Cairo and Helwan Primary Courts.

wide interaction

Iskandar’s appointment sparked wide interaction within Egyptian society, and on social media, as Egyptian institutions congratulated the new court president on his position as its first Coptic president, praising the step taken by the Egyptian president in appointing him, and at the forefront of these institutions are the Evangelical Church, the Supreme Judicial Council, the National Council for Human Rights and others. Egyptian institutions.

A number of social media pioneers praised the decision as a model of citizenship, they said, and described the decision to appoint Iskandar as historic, which does not differentiate between citizens on the basis of religion in public jobs and major responsibilities.

On the other hand, others questioned the reason for appointing a Christian to head the Supreme Constitutional Court, and he could occupy the position of President of the Republic when the position becomes vacant in the absence of Parliament according to the Egyptian constitution, as happened when the former Chief of the Supreme Constitutional Court, Adly Mansour, assumed the position of President after the army intervened to overthrow the president. The late Mohamed Morsi in July 2013.

They asked: How can a Christian assume the position of President of the Republic, whose constitution states that Islam is the state religion, Arabic is its official language, and the principles of Islamic Sharia are the main source of legislation?

Egypt issues a historic decision appointing Counselor Paul Fahmy Iskandar as head of the Supreme Constitutional Court..


This is the real civil state that does not differentiate between citizens on the basis of religion in public office and major responsibilities, a decision that generations will preserve as the first step of its kind to modernize Egypt and save it from the clutches of Salafism

— Sameh Asker (@sameh_asker) February 8, 2022

A historic decision.


Thank you, #Reyes.


Welcome to the state of citizenship


. Thank you, #Egypt. Thank you, #Reese. We dream of a state in which justice is commanded by God Almighty. We pray for the chancellor #Paul_Fahmy_Iskandar, President of the #Supreme_Constitutional_Court# Long live Egypt


🇪🇬


#New_Republic


Fatima Naoot @AlsisiOfficial/ pic.twitter.com 1deEGNGJVH

— Fatima Naoot (@FatimaNaoot) February 9, 2022

Paul Fahmy Iskandar

Boulos,


President of the Supreme Constitutional Court


— Sherin Helal 𓈙𓂋𓇋𓇋𓈖𓁐 𓉔𓃭𓄿𓃭𓀀 (@sherinhelal555) February 8, 2022

A republican decision to appoint Boulos Fahmy Iskandar as head of the Supreme Constitutional Court.


A simple question:


How can a Muslim state decide on the constitutionality of its laws for a Christian who has not studied Islamic law?


The constitution says: Islam is the state religion, Arabic is its official language, and the principles of Islamic Sharia are the main source of legislation.

— Noor Shams (@NOOR85shams) February 9, 2022

#Al-Sisi referred #Said_Marei, the head of the Constitutional Court, to pension, claiming that he had a health problem!


He was scheduled to retire in August 2024,


and Paul Fahmy was appointed instead

Why did Marei not submit his resignation instead of dismissing him?


What did he ask him for and he did not do?


The tyrant rots the judges with sticks


and sends whoever he wants to his house for no reason pic.twitter.com/4Hs79rCKK7

— Osama Rushdi (@OsamaRushdi) February 9, 2022

2- I mean, Sisi left the number “one, two and three” and appointed the fourth, overriding absolute seniority


, apparently in an effort to consolidate the pillars of his alliance with the Church


, Paul Fahmy Iskandar Pauls, as head of the Constitutional Court, succeeding Said Marei.

— Abbas Qabary (@AbbasQabary) February 9, 2022

It is noteworthy that the Supreme Constitutional Court is the supreme judicial body in Egypt. It is an independent, independent body located in Cairo. Its mission is to monitor the conformity of laws with the articles of the constitution, and among its powers is the abolition of laws that violate the provisions and articles of the Egyptian Constitution. It is a judicial body independent of the legislative and executive authorities.

The Constitutional Court consists of a president, one or more vice presidents, and a sufficient number of advisors. Its judgments are issued by 7 advisors, and its judgments are final and cannot be appealed in any way.