Independence:
28 February 1922 (from UK)
National holiday:
Revolution Day, 23 July (1952)
Constitution:
11 September 1971; amended 22 May 1980
Legal system:
based on English common law, Islamic law, and Napoleonic codes;
judicial review by Supreme Court and Council of State (oversees
validity of administrative decisions); accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Mohammed Hosni MUBARAK (since 14 October
1981)
head of government: Prime Minister Ahmed NAZIF (since 9 July 2004)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for six-year term; note
- a national referendum in May 2005 approved a constitutional
amendment that changed the presidential election to a multicandidate
popular vote; previously the president was nominated by the People's
Assembly and the nomination was validated by a national, popular
referendum; last referendum held 26 September 1999; first election
under terms of constitutional amendment held 7 September 2005; next
election scheduled for 2011
election results: Hosni MUBARAK reelected president; percent of vote
- Hosni MUBARAK 88.6%, Ayman NOUR 7.6%, Noman GOMAA 2.9%
Legislative branch:
bicameral system consists of the People's Assembly or Majlis
al-Sha'b (454 seats; 444 elected by popular vote, 10 appointed by
the president; members serve five-year terms) and the Advisory
Council or Majlis al-Shura - which functions only in a consultative
role (264 seats; 176 elected by popular vote, 88 appointed by the
president; members serve six-year terms; mid-term elections for half
the members)
elections: People's Assembly - three-phase voting - last held 19
October, 29 October, 8 November 2000 (next to be held
October-November 2005); Advisory Council - last held May-June 2004
(next to be held May-June 2007)
election results: People's Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA;
seats by party - NDP 388, Tagammu 6, NWP 7, Nasserists 3, Al-Ahrar
1, independents 37 (2 seats determined by a later byelection, 10
seats appointed by President); Advisory Council - percent of vote by
party - NA; seats by party - NA
Judicial branch:
Supreme Constitutional Court
Political parties and leaders:
Al-Ahrar Party [Helmi SALEM]; Nasserist Arab Democratic Party or
Nasserists [Dia' al-din DAWUD]; National Democratic Party or NDP
[Mohammed Hosni MUBARAK (governing party)]; National Progressive
Unionist Grouping or Tagammu [Rifaat EL-SAID]; New Wafd Party or NWP
[No'man GOMAA]
note: formation of political parties must be approved by the
government
Political pressure groups and leaders: despite a constitutional ban against religious-based parties, the technically illegal Muslim Brotherhood constitutes MUBARAK's potentially most significant political opposition; MUBARAK tolerated limited political activity by the Brotherhood for his first two terms, but moved more aggressively since then to block its influence; civic society groups are sanctioned, but constrained in practical terms; trade unions and professional associations are officially sanctioned