The Committee for Justice demanded, in a statement it issued from Geneva on Thursday, October 22, 2026, that the Egyptian authorities announce the date and timetable of elections for the boards of labor union organizations for the 2026-2030 term, and warned against extending the current term, which began in 2022, for a second time, in a way that undermines freedom of union organization.
The Committee said available official information does not clarify the date of the call for elections or their timetable, even though the Ministry of Labor announced in February 2026 preparatory measures for them, including an electronic platform. It demanded refraining from any new extension without announced legal and objective justifications, guaranteeing free, fair and transparent elections away from administrative and security interference, ensuring that proposed legislative amendments do not delay the elections, and holding genuine consultations with independent unions.
The Supreme Council for Consultation in the Field of Labor had recommended in April 2026 extending the term by six months, because the electoral process coincided with Arab and international labor conferences and events; the House of Representatives then approved the extension, and President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi ratified in June Law No. 74 of 2026, which extends the term by six months from its end date and requires that elections for the new term be called at least sixty days before the extension period ends.
The Supreme Council for Social Consultation discussed, in its second meeting since its reconstitution, chaired by Minister of Labor Hassan Radad, proposed amendments to Law No. 213 of 2017 on labor union organizations and the protection of the right to organize, and the report on the meeting did not address the date of the elections.
Photo: Hossam el-Hamalawy via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)
