Representative Life After 1952 Revolution

The establishment of a sound democratic life was among the fundamental principles of the July 23, 1952 Revolution, in the wake of the abrogation of the former Constitution, the declaration of the Republic and the dissolution of parties.

In 1956, the new Constitution was proclaimed stipulating for the formation of the National Assembly on 22 July 1957. It was made up of 350 elected members and remained effective until 10 Feb. 1958, when the Egyptian-Syrian merger was given force and the 1956 Constitution revoked. The Provisional Constitution of the Arab Republic of Egypt was formulated in March 1958, and a joint National Assembly was established, its members were appointed (400 from Egypt and 200 from Syria). It first met on 21 July 1960 and lasted to 22 June 1961.

Egypt and Syria were later separated on 28 Sept. 1961. In March 1964, a further provisional Constitution was declared, giving birth to a 350-elected member National Assembly, half of whom at least from workers and farmers- in reaction to the then July 1961 socialist laws plus 10 members appointed by the President of the Republic. This Assembly lasted from 26 March 1964 to 12 November 1968. New elections were held on 20 Jan. 1969, and the Assembly was valid until 30 August 1971.

September 11, 1971, the now effective Constitution was proclaimed to update the democratic representative system in assertion of the rule of law, independence of Judiciary, and party plurality. Growing democratic changes were discerned, bringing forth legal elections on multi - forum basis within the Arab Socialist Union - the only political gathering at the time.

In 1979, party – based legislative elections were conducted for the first time in Egypt after political parties were done with in the wake of the 1952 Revolution. Parties, formed according to the political parties’ law in 1977, had taken part in the said elections.

In 1980, the Shura Council was set up to broaden the scope of political and democratic participation.

This signaled the start of a new political phase built around sovereignty of law, respect of pluralism and cherished values of freedom and equality.

On 14 October 1981, President Hosni Mubarak took office. Egypt embarked on an era of consolidated liberty, rule of law and unleashed publish freedoms.

Decreed amendments were introduced to the People’s Assembly electoral system in pursuit of the best popular representation.

 In 1983, the party-list and proportional representation were adopted as the electoral process, in which political parties participated. In 1986, a law modifying the electoral process, the basis of relating party lists to the individual majority system was issued.

  However, experience yielded the return to the individual majority system in 1990. The Republic was divided into 222 constituencies, two members for each constituency, one at least from laborers and farmers.

MPS numbered 454, including ten members appointed by the President of the Republic.

The Assembly completed its constitutional mandate on 12 December 1995, legislative elections were held and the new Assembly elected commencing its first term on 13 December 1995.