Hisham Badawi was elected Speaker of the House of Representatives on Monday, securing 521 votes out of a total 570during the opening session of the parliament’s third legislative term.
Badawi, the former head of the Central Auditing Organisation, defeated Mohamed Sami El-Imam, a representative of the Egyptian Social Democratic Party, who received 49 votes. Following the announcement of the results by the session’s most senior member, Abla El-Hawary, Badawi assumed his duties and presided over the election of two deputy speakers.
“I pray for guidance in fulfilling it to serve the interests of our great people and to listen to every voice in this hall, whether independent or partisan,” Badawi said in his inaugural address.
Mohamed El-Wahsh and Assem El-Gazzar were elected as the chamber’s two Deputy Speakers. El-Gazzar secured 516 votes while El-Wahsh received 495. Other candidates for the deputy roles included Sahar Atman, who received 87 votes, Islam Fawzy with 35 votes, and Awad Abu El-Naga with 21 votes. Out of 579 total votes cast for the deputy positions, 577 were valid, and two were void.
Badawi pledged to maintain impartiality and objectivity among members. “Our limits are the commitment to the constitution and the preservation of the council’s dignity,” he said. He added that the parliament would focus on its oversight and legislative roles to enhance parliamentary work.
Badawi served as the head of the Central Auditing Organisation from 2016 to 2024. He began his career in the prosecution service, serving as the Chief Prosecutor for State Security from 2000 to 2012. He later presided over the Cairo Court of Appeal between 2012 and 2015 before being appointed Assistant Minister of Justice for anti-corruption affairs.
During his legal career, Badawi oversaw several high-profile investigations, including the 2009 Hezbollah cell case and the 2012 Nasr City cell case. He has also been a member of various national and international committees, including the Ministry of Justice’s international cooperation committee for combating terrorism and the National Coordinating Committee for Combating Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing.
The Speaker adjourned the opening session until Wednesday, when the House is expected to conduct elections for the boards of its specialised committees. Members have been requested to register their preferences for committee assignments ahead of the session.
