The cabinet's ministerial group for political and legislative affairs approved today an amendment of the presidential election law no.74/2005. The group led by Mufid Shehab indicated that the amendment is aimed at complying with the 2007 amendment of article 76 of the constitution, stating that nomination for presidential elections shall be allowed for political parties provided they have at least three per cent of the total of elected seats in each of the People's Assembly and Shura Council.
 
According to minister Shehab, when article 76 was first amended in 2005, it stipulated that political parties have at least five per cent of seats in each of the two houses.
 
The amended article also indicated that legal political parties shall be allowed to field candidates in any presidential elections to be conducted within ten years of the 1st of May 2006, provided that one of its members has won a seat in the People's Assembly or Shura Council in the most recent parliamentary elections and meets the rest of the conditions stipulated by the Constitution.