Egypt Government - 1986

GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES 

Official name: Arab Republic of Egypt

Type: republic

Capital: Cairo

Political subdivisions: 26 governorates

Legal system: based on English common law, Islamic law, and Napoleonic codes; permanent constitution written in 1971; judicial review of limited nature in Supreme Court, also in Council of State, which oversees validity of administrative decisions; legal education at Cairo University; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

National holiday: National Day, 23 July

Branches: executive power vested in President, who appoints Cabinet; People’s Assembly is principal legislative body, with Shura Council having consultative role; independent judiciary administered by Minister of Justice

Government leaders: Mohammed Hosni MUBARAK, President (since 1981); ‘Ali Lotfy Mahmoud LOTFY, Prime Minister (since September 1985)

Suffrage-universal over age 18

Elections: regular elections to People’s Assembly every five years (most recent May 1984); two-thirds of Shura Council is elected for six-year term ifirst elections were in September 1980) with remaining members appointed by President, presidential election every six years; last held October 1981

Literacy: 40%

Political parties and leaders: formation of political parties must be approved by government; National Democratic Party, led by Mubarak, is the dominant party; legal opposition parties are Socialist Liberal Party, Kamal Murad; Socialist Labor Party, Ibrahim Shukri; National Progressive Unionist Grouping, Khalid Muhyi-al Din; Umma Party, Ahmad al-Sabahi, and New W afd Party, Fu’ad Siraj al-Din

Communists: approximately 500 party members

Other political or pressure groups· Islamic groups are illegal, but the largest one, the Muslim Brotherhood, is tolerated by the government; trade unions and professional associations are officially sanctioned

Member of: AAPSO, AfDB, FAO, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, IGAG, IGAO, IDA IDB— Islamic Development Bank, IFAD, IFC, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL 1OOC, IPU, IRC, ITU, IWC— International Wheat Council, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WPC, WSG, WTO; Egypt suspended from Arab League and OAPEC in April 1979

NOTE: The information regarding Egypt on this page is re-published from the 1986 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency and other sources. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Egypt 1986 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Egypt 1986 should be addressed to the CIA or the source cited on each page.