The newly-appointed parliament member Serry Seyam, former head of the Cassation Court and the Supreme Judicial Council, said the he will not run for the position of parliamentary speaker.

Seyam said he wishes to remain independent and without any affiliations to parties or political coalitions. Several media outlets have reported his name as a potential parliamentary speaker.

President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi appointed 28 members in parliament on Thursday, as reported by state media. Al-Sisi also set the date of the first parliamentary session for 10 January.

The list comprises 14 women, including writer Lamis Gaber, university professors, as well as 14 other members, including lawyers and professors, such as Ain Shams University President Hussein Issa, and economic and judicial experts. The list also includes one female expert from Egyptian State TV and a male journalist at the Dar El-Hilal institution.

Among the names of the 28 MPs, two are affiliated with political parties: Bahaa Abu Shaka from Al-Wafd Party and Sayed Abdul-Al from the Tagammu’ Party.

Parliamentary elections concluded in December, where the final results were announced by the Supreme Electoral Commission for 568 elected members.

There is growing uncertainty regarding the position of parliamentary speaker. Last week, head of the Supreme Constitutional Court (SCC) and former interim president Adly Mansour was reported to have ‘declined’ the position. He officially met with Al-Sisi, though the outcomes of the meeting were not declared.