National holiday:
Revolution Day, 23 July (1952)
Constitution:
11 September 1971; amended 22 May 1980 and 25 May 2005
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 (no
term limits); 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
of the elected members)
elections: People's Assembly - three-phase voting - last held 7 and
20 November, 1 December 2005;(next to be held November-December
2010); 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 311, NWP 6, Tagammu 2, Tomorrow Party 1,
independents 112 (12 seats to be determined by rerun elections, 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:
National Democratic Party or NDP [Mohammed Hosni MUBARAK (governing
party)]; National Progressive Unionist Grouping or Tagammu [Rifaat
EL-SAID]; New Wafd Party or NWP [Mahmoud ABAZA]; Tomorrow Party
[Naji AL-GHATRIFI]
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 Hosni 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
International organization participation:
ABEDA, ACCT, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AU, BSEC (observer), CAEU, COMESA,
EBRD, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt
(signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM,
OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, OIF, ONUB, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOMIG, UNRWA,
UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO