Egypt will lift restrictions on forming political parties that choked political life during the rule of President Hosni Mubarak after a March 19 referendum on constitutional amendments, an army source said on Saturday. Under Mubarak, parties needed the approval of a committee chaired by the head of the upper house of parliament, who was also a leading figure in Mubarak's ruling National Democratic Party.
The army, which took power after Mubarak was ousted on February 11 by a popular uprising, has dissolved parliament, suspended the constitution and mapped a path to parliamentary and presidential elections within six months.