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Egypt has introduced to humanity the oldest political system. Along the banks of the River Nile, there arose the most ancient unified government which built the greatest civi-lization in the world. Egypt has the precedence in crystalizing this through institutional frameworks that played an important role in moulding peoples' life and protecting the principle of freedom and democracy.
The Permanent Constitution of the Arab Republic of Egypt, issued on September 11, 1971 and amended on May 22, 1980, organizes the State's political system and defines the public authorities and their terms of reference.
Hence, the Constitution establishes the pillars of the democratic parliamentary system affirming the rule of law, independence of Judicature as the bases of rule. Moreover, it emphasizes the Islamic Shari'a as the main source of legislation and the Arabic language as the State's official language.
The Egyptian political system consists of the legislative, executive and judicial authorities, in addition to the press, political parties, local administration and civil society organizations.
It exercises the legislative authority, approves the State's overall policy and controls the work of the government.
The People's Assembly, in its current session, is composed of 454 members including ten members appointed by a presidential decree. 50% of the members have worker and peasant status.
The Assembly's Constitutional Term:
The Assembly's constitutional term is five Gregorian years starting from the first meeting. Elections for new terms are held within 60 days before the end of the current term.
During the last elections of the People's Assembly in October/November 2000, Egypt applied in its 3 stages complete judicial supervision over all main and secondary electoral committees.
The Assembly's Specific Committees:
The Assembly exercises its legislative and monitoring power through 18 committees: Constitutional and Legislative, Planning and Budgeting, Economic Affairs, Foreign Affairs, Arab Affairs, Defence and National Security, Suggestions and Complaints, Manpower, In-dustry and Energy, Agriculture and Irrigation, Education and Scientific Research, Waqf, Social and Religious Affairs, Culture, Media and Tourism, Health and Environment Affairs, Transport and Communication, Housing, Public Utilities and Construction, Local Government and Public Organization and Youth Committees.
The Central Auditing Agency (CAA) assists the People's Assembly. The CAA is an independent public corporate body that aims at ensuring control over government funds and those of other public bodies. CAA assists the People's Assembly with both audit and legal aspects of financial control.
The Shura (Consultative) Council is mandated with studying and proposing whatever it deems fit to reinforce national unity and social peace, and protect basic constituents of the community.
The Shura Council midterm elections were held in June 2001 under complete judicial supervision over all electoral committees.
The current Shura Council is composed of 264 members; of whom 14 are women with the majority of members belonging to the National Democratic Party. The term of membership is 6 years. 50% of the members are reelected or re-appointed after the elapse of 30 years.
Second: The Executive Authority
He presides over the executive authority and works for ensuring sovereignty of the people, respect for the Constitution, rule of law and protection of national unity.
The term of presidency is 6 Gregorian years starting from the date of announcing the referendum results. The president may be reelected for other terms.
The Head of State, in conjunction with the Council of Ministers, lays down and supervises the implementation of public policy. He is also the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces and head of both the Supreme Police Council and the National Defence Council
Represented in the Council of Ministers, the government is the highest administrative and executive body. It administers the affairs of the government as follows:
- Direct, coordinate, and monitor the performance of ministries and public authorities.
- Draft public state budget and state overall plan.
- Conclude and grant loans.
The government lays down and supervises the implementation of public policy in conjunction with the Head of State according to the presidential laws and decrees.
Moreover, the government works for observing the implementation of laws, maintaining state security and protecting citizens' rights and welfare.
Bodies Supporting the Government:
Bodies supporting the government are represented in the Central Authority for Public Mobilization and Statistics and the Central Authority for Organization and Administration.
Cabinet Members*:
- Dr. Atef Muhammad Muhammad Ebeid, Prime Minister.
- Dr. Youssef Amin Wali, Deputy Premier and Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation.
- Field Marshal Muhammad Hussein Tantawi Soliaman, Minister of Defence and Military Production.
- Muhammad Safwat el-Sherif, Minister of Information.
- Counsellor Farouk Seif el-Nasr, Minister of Justice.
- Dr. Hussein Kamal Bahaa Eddin, Minister of Education.
- Ahmed Maher, Minister of Foreign Affairs.
- Dr. Youssef Boutros Ghali, Minister of Foreign Trade.
- Kamal Muhammad al-Shazli, Minister of State for the People's Assembly and Shura Council Affairs.
- Dr. Mamdouh Ahmed Al-Beltagi, Minister of Toursim.
- Dr. Muhammad Zaki Abu Amer, Minister of State for Adminis-trative Development.
- Dr. Muhammad Ibrahim Soliman, Minister of Housing, Utilities and Urban Communities.
- Ahmed Ahmed El-Amawi, Minister of Manpower and Immigra-tion.
- Dr. Mahmoud Hamdy Zaqzouk, Minister of Waqfs (Endowments).
- Dr. Moufid Mahmoud Shehab, Minister of Higher Education and the State for Scientific Research.
- Dr. Mahmoud Abd el-Halim Abu Zeid, Minister of Public Works and Water Resources.
- General Habib Ibrahim Habib el-Adly, Minister of the Interior.
- Mostafa Muhammad Muhammad Abd el-Qader, Minister of State for Local Development.
- Dr. Amina Hamza Mahmoud el-Gendi, Minister of Insurance and Social Affairs.
- Dr. Ali Fahmy Ibrahim as-Saidi, Minister of Industry and Technological Development.
- Dr. Sayed Abdu Mustafa Masha'l, Minister of State for Military Production.
- Dr. Ali el-Din Helal Dusouqi, Minister of Youth.
- Dr. Hassan Ali Ali Khedr, Minister of Supply and Domestic Trade.
- Dr. Mokhtar Abd el-Monem Khatab, Minister of Public Enter-prise Sector.
- Dr. Muhammad Medhat Abd el-A'tti Hassanein, Minister of Finance.
- Dr. Ahmed Mahmoud Muhammad Nathif, Minister of Communication and Information.
- Engineer Amin Sameh Samir Fahmy, Minister of Petroleum.
- Dr. Hassan Ahmed Younis, Minister of Electricity and En-ergy.
- Dr. Mamdouh Riyad Tadrous, Minister of State for the Environ-ment Affairs.
- Fayza Muhammad Abul-Naga, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs.
- Dr. Osman Muhammad Osman, Minister of Planning.
- Dr. Muhammad Awad Tag el-Din, Minister of Health.
- Ahmed Muhammad Shafiq Zaki, Minister of Civil Aviation.
- Dr. Hamdy Abd el-Salam Muhammad al-Shayeb, Minister of Transport.
The Constitution stipulates that the judiciary authority is an independent authority. This function is assumed by Courts of Justice. The courts issue their verdicts in accordance with the law. Judges are in-dependent in performing their duties. No other authority may intervene in the affairs of justice.
The judiciary authority is composed of different kinds of courts (such as Courts of First Instance, Appeal, Cassation) as well as Ad-ministrative Courts (State–Council) and the Supreme Constitutional Court.
The judiciary authority plays an important role in exercising judiciary control over the constitutionality of laws and interpreting their provisions.
Moreover, the judiciary authority plays a similar role in formalizing the political parties in such a way that enhances democracy in Egypt.
The press is an independent popular authority that undertakes its mission in compliance with the provisions of the Constitution and the law. The Constitution provides that: Freedom of the press is war-ranted and press control is prohibited.
It is an independent body that administers the affairs of the press in such a way so as to secure its freedom and independence within the framework of the law. It is headed by the speaker of the Shura Council.
In Egypt, the press is divided into two segments:
- National newspapers, published by national press institutions.
- Partisan and independent newspapers, issued by political parties, as well as private and public judicial persons.
Since the Political Parties Law regulating the formation of political parties in Egypt was promulgated in June 1977, political parties have increased to 17 against 5 in 1981. They exercise their political activities in full freedom and under complete political and legal guarantees.
The Arab Republic of Egypt is divided into administrative units, cities and villages, in addition to the city of Luxor with its special nature.
Within the framework of the general state plan, local administrative units are mandated to establish and manage all the public utilities within their jurisdiction.
These units also underake the approval for carrying out land reclamation projects inside the local unit.
Civil society organizations are represented in local private bodies and organizations.
These include non-governmental organizations, trade-unions, syndicates, professional associations, sports unions, businessmen associations, religious societies and other non-governmental voluntary activities.
Since 1990, Egypt witnessed intensified efforts in all these institutions.
Political Parties in Egypt
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