President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi has issued Republican Decrees Nos. 368 and 369 of 2025, adjourning the fifth ordinary session of the second legislative term of the House of Representatives, and the first legislative term of the Senate, effective Wednesday, 9 July 2025, corresponding to 14 Muharram 1447 AH.
This decision comes at a critical juncture, as presidential ratification of the Old Rent Law bill has yet to be issued—a bill that has stirred significant controversy both inside and outside parliament due to its direct impact on the relationship between landlords and tenants, which has long been governed by outdated laws that have not been revised for decades.
On 2 July 2025, the House of Representatives formally approved the draft law submitted by the government, which regulates the rental relationship between landlords and tenants of residential and non-residential premises for natural persons. The bill sets timeframes for terminating contracts, gradually increases rental values according to urban classifications (premium, middle, economic), and imposes annual increases of 15%.
The parliamentary session witnessed heated objections, particularly to Article 2 of the law, which ends the rental relationship after 7 years from the law’s application for residential units, and 5 years for non-residential units, without social exceptions. This led several opposition MPs to withdraw from the general session in protest.
These developments are in line with the Supreme Constitutional Court ruling issued in November 2024, which declared certain provisions of the old rent laws unconstitutional, obligating parliament to pass new legislation regulating the landlord–tenant relationship before the end of the current ordinary legislative session.
According to the wording of the ruling, the binding deadline for implementation starts the day after the ordinary legislative session ends, not after its formal adjournment. This confirms that the House of Representatives has met its constitutional obligation by debating and officially passing the law on 2 July, before referring it to the President prior to the issuance of the adjournment decrees.
Adjournment of the Session Does Not Contravene the Implementation of the Constitutional Court’s Ruling
Legal experts consulted by the Diwan Alomran team affirmed that adjourning the legislative session does not hinder the implementation of the Constitutional Court ruling or the continuation of the legislative process for the law. They explained that the enactment process follows four key stages:
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Proposal – The government submitted the draft law to parliament.
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Approval – Parliament officially passed the law.
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Issuance – Awaiting presidential ratification within a maximum of 30 days from the date of approval.
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Publication – The law is published in the Official Gazette, upon which it becomes effective and binding.
Article 123 of the Constitution stipulates: “The President of the Republic shall have the right to issue laws or to object to them. If the President does not issue the law within thirty days from the date of its notification, it shall be deemed issued by force of the Constitution.” In the event of a presidential objection, the law is returned to the House of Representatives; however, with the session adjourned, it cannot be reconsidered until a new parliament is formed.
Accordingly, the Egyptian parliament has complied with the deadline set by the Constitutional Court ruling, completing its part of the legislative process. The next step now lies with the executive authority—to ratify the law before the constitutional deadline of 1 August 2025.
No Legal Action Permitted Before Ratification
Legal experts further emphasized that landlords have no right to resort to the courts to terminate rental agreements or initiate legal proceedings before the 30-day constitutional period granted to the President expires. This safeguard ensures the proper constitutional process is upheld and that all legal provisions remain in force until the official ratification and publication of the new law in the Official Gazette.
Any lawsuits initiated by landlords before the thirty-day period ends would likely be either suspended pending the deadline or dismissed as premature. Until the presidential ratification and publication occur, the landlord–tenant relationship remains governed by the old rent law, which is a prerequisite for the new law’s enforcement.
