On Tuesday the Ministry of Supply and Internal Trade issued a decision to reinstate rations to those previously excluded from the ration card lists who filed grievances to object to the decision to exclude them.

This decision was in accordance with Abdel Fattah al-Sisi’s instructions following the recent protests and demonstrations in Egypt.

Al-Sisi announced on social media: “As a follow-up to all measures to support low-income people, I understand the position of citizens who have been adversely affected by measures to [take away] ration cards and delete some [people who are] eligible.”

Al-Sisi’s comments were seen by activists as a retreat under pressure from popular protests. It is also noteworthy that the pro-regime media stressed the importance of this step.

Over the past few days authorities have also talked about upcoming political reforms and the importance of freedom of information and expression of opinion.

On Tuesday, Speaker of the House of Representatives Ali Abdel-Aal said that “the country needs the opposition in order to activate participation in construction and development,” adding that “the coming period will witness political and media reforms.”

This came during the opening session of the House of Representatives for the fifth session, according to state media.

At the same meeting, an MP close to the security services Mustafa Bakri said: “We must stop the hidden war against anyone who expresses his opinion, this is not Egypt for which we sacrificed.”

Bakri added: “We want genuine national reconciliation with the middle class… reconciliation with the press… which [due to censorship] no longer hosts a deputy, minister or governor, and we want the soft powers to do their part.”

The talk of sudden political reform was also mentioned in a recent article by journalist Yasser Rizk who confirmed al- Sisi’s intention to implement political reform.

On September 20 and 21 there were protests in Cairo and several Egyptian governorates demanding the departure of Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.