Legal System of Egypt

Egypt is located in Africa. It is geographically situated in northern africa, bordering the mediterranean sea, between libya and the gaza strip, and the red sea north of sudan, and includes the asian sinai peninsula. The country achieved independence on 28 february 1922 (from uk protectorate status; the military-led revolution that began on 23 july 1952 led to a republic being declared on 18 june 1953 and all british troops withdrawn on 18 june 1956). The capital is Cairo.

Government Overview

Government Type: presidential republic Chief of State: President Abdel Fattah EL-SISI (since 8 June 2014) Head of Government: Prime Minister Mostafa MADBOULY (since 7 June 2018) Cabinet: Cabinet ministers nominated by the executive branch and approved by the House of Representatives Administrative Divisions: 27 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazat); Ad Daqahliyah, Al Bahr al Ahmar (Red Sea), Al Buhayrah, Al Fayyum, Al Gharbiyah, Al Iskandariyah (Alexandria), Al Isma’iliyah (Ismailia), Al Jizah (Giza), Al Minufiyah, Al Minya, Al Qahirah (Cairo), Al Qalyubiyah, Al Uqsur (Luxor), Al Wadi al Jadid (New Valley), As Suways (Suez), Ash Sharqiyah, Aswan, Asyut, Bani Suwayf, Bur Sa’id (Port Said), Dumyat (Damietta), Janub Sina’ (South Sinai), Kafr ash Shaykh, Matruh, Qina, Shamal Sina’ (North Sinai), Suhaj National Holiday: Revolution Day, 23 July (1952) Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Legal System

The legal system of Egypt is described as mixed system based on Napoleonic civil and penal law, Islamic religious law, and vestiges of colonial-era laws; Supreme Constitutional Court reviews laws International Law: accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; non-party state to the ICCt

Constitutional Framework

The constitution has the following history: several previous; latest approved by a constitutional committee in December 2013, approved by referendum held on 14-15 January 2014, ratified by interim president on 19 January 2014 Amendment Process: proposed by the president of the republic or by one fifth of the House of Representatives members; a decision to accept the proposal requires majority vote by House members; passage of amendment requires a two-thirds majority vote by House members and passage by majority vote in a referendum; articles of reelection of the president and principles of freedom are not amendable unless the amendment “brings more guarantees” 

Judicial Branch

Highest Court(s): Supreme Constitutional Court (SCC) (consists of the court president and 10 justices); the SCC serves as the final court of arbitration on the constitutionality of laws and conflicts between lower courts regarding jurisdiction and rulings; Court of Cassation (CC) (consists of the court president and 550 judges organized in circuits with cases heard by panels of 5 judges); the CC is the highest appeals body for civil and criminal cases, also known as “ordinary justices”; Supreme Administrative Court (SAC) (consists of the court president and NA judges and organized in circuits with cases heard by panels of 5 judges); the SAC is the highest court of the State Council Judge Selection: under the 2014 constitution, all judges and justices selected and appointed by the Supreme Judiciary Council and approved as a formality by the president of the Republic; judges appointed for life; under the 2019 amendments, the president has the power to appoint heads of judiciary authorities and courts, the prosecutor general, and the head of the Supreme Constitutional Court Subordinate Courts: Courts of Appeal; Courts of First Instance; courts of limited jurisdiction; Family Court (established in 2004)

Legislative Branch

The legislative structure consists of bicameral Lower Chamber: House of Representatives (Majlis Al-Nuwab) (596 (568 directly elected; 28 appointed) seats) Electoral System (Lower Chamber): mixed system Upper Chamber: Senate (Majlis Al-Shiyoukh)

Citizenship and Suffrage

Citizenship by Birth: no Citizenship by Descent: if the father was born in Egypt Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Historical Background

The regularity and richness of the annual Nile River flood, coupled with semi-isolation provided by deserts to the east and west, allowed for the development of one of the world’s great civilizations in Egypt. A unified kingdom arose circa 3200 B.C., and a series of dynasties ruled in Egypt for the next three millennia. The last native dynasty fell to the Persians in 341 B.C., who in turn were replaced by the Greeks, Romans, and Byzantines.

This article provides a summary of the legal system and governmental structure of Egypt based on the CIA World Factbook. The Factbook is a public domain publication of the United States Central Intelligence Agency.