The Egyptian Council of Ministers has consent A new draft law was introduced on Wednesday, April 22, regulating family affairs for Christian citizens, in a move aimed at improving and unifying existing rules.
Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly announced that the draft law will now be sent to the House of Representatives for discussion and approval. This law is part of a broader government plan to reform family-related legislation in the country.
The proposed law focuses on important issues such as marriage, divorce, child custody, and inheritance. Officials say the goal is to set clear and uniform rules for Christian communities, which previously followed different regulations depending on their denomination.
Currently, family matters in Egypt are handled differently based on religion. The new draft is based on the constitution, which allows Christians to follow their religious principles in personal status issues.
The government is also preparing two additional laws: one for personal status laws for Muslims and the other to establish a family support fund. It is expected that these laws will be submitted to Parliament in stages.
One of the main ones Challenges The current system is the lack of uniform rules between different Christian denominations, which often leads to legal confusion and delays in lawsuits.
In some cases, individuals face difficulties in obtaining a divorce due to the strict conditions set by church regulations, leaving couples with long-term disputes. There too Fears About inconsistent rulings on child custody and alimony, as well as gaps in how some family disputes are handled by civil courts versus religious authorities. These gaps have created uncertainty for many families and highlighted the need for clearer and consistent legislation.