constitution of Egypt
{{Short description|Fundamental law of Egypt since 2014}}
{{about|the current constitution, which has been in effect since 2014|earlier constitutions|History of the Egyptian Constitution}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2022}}
{{Infobox constitution
| document_name= Constitution of the Arab Republic of Egypt
| number_amendments= 1
| date_last_amended= 2019 Egyptian constitutional referendum
| commissioned=
| writer=
| signers= Egyptian constitutional referendum, 2014
| supersedes= Egyptian Constitution of 2012
| orig_lang_code= Language code drawn from List of ISO 639-1 codes, required to have native_wikisource work
| wikisource= Constitution of Egypt
| image= File:Coat of arms of Egypt (Official).svg
| image_size= 100px
| caption= Coat of arms of Egypt
| jurisdiction= Egypt
| date_presented= 14 – 15 January 2014
| date_ratified= 18 January 2014
| date_effective= 18 January 2014
| system= Unitary semi-presidential republic
| branches= Three (Legislative, Executive, Judiciary)
| head_of_state= President of Egypt
| chambers= Senate
House of Representatives
| executive= Cabinet of Egypt
| courts=
| federalism= No
| electoral_college= No
| number_entrenchments=
| footnotes=
}}
{{Politics of Egypt}}
The Constitution of the Arab Republic of Egypt is the fundamental law of Egypt.
The Egyptian Constitution of 2014 was passed in a referendum in January 2014.{{cite web|title=Egypt constitution 'approved by 98.1 percent'|url=http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2014/01/egypt-constitution-approved-981-percent-201411816326470532.html|publisher=Al Jazeera English|date=18 January 2014|access-date=18 January 2014}} The constitution took effect after the results were announced on 18 January 2014. A constitutional amendments referendum was held from 20 to 22 April 2019.{{cite web|url=http://english.ahram.org.eg/News/91874.aspx|title=UPDATE 6: 98.1% approves post-June 30 constitution|publisher=Ahram Online|date=18 January 2014|access-date=19 January 2014}}
Background
In July 2013, after the ousting of former President Mohammed Morsi, the military announced the schedule for the development of the constitution, with the vote to occur around the end of November 2013.{{Cite news|title=Egypt's timetable for transition to elections|url=https://news.yahoo.com/egypts-timetable-transition-elections-221345598.html|agency=Associated Press|date=9 July 2013|access-date=19 January 2014}} Two different committees were involved in amending the 2012 constitution.{{Cite news|title=Amended draft of Egyptian constitution passed to president|url=http://en.aswatmasriya.com/news/view.aspx?id=94ea4b57-e8e4-408b-b1a3-5901e788c076|agency=Egypt Independent|date=21 August 2013|access-date=22 January 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130928201458/http://en.aswatmasriya.com/news/view.aspx?id=94ea4b57-e8e4-408b-b1a3-5901e788c076|archive-date=28 September 2013|url-status=dead}}{{Cite news|title=Mansour receives amended constitution|url=http://www.dailynewsegypt.com/2013/12/03/mansour-receives-amended-constitution/|work=Daily News Egypt|date=3 December 2013|access-date=22 January 2014}} The constitution replaces the Egyptian Constitution of 2012 which came into effect under Morsi.
Contents
The constitution adopted in 2014, like the constitution drafted under Morsi, is based on the Egyptian Constitution of 1971.{{cite web |url=http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2014/01/what-egypt-proposed-new-constitution-201411312385987166.html |title=What's in Egypt's proposed new constitution? |publisher=Al Jazeera English |date=14 January 2014 |access-date=20 January 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140122010013/http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2014/01/what-egypt-proposed-new-constitution-201411312385987166.html |archive-date=22 January 2014 }}
The 2014 constitution sets up a president and parliament.{{cite news |date=18 January 2014 |title=Egypt referendum: '98% back new constitution' |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-25796110 |access-date=19 January 2014 |work=BBC News |publisher=BBC |via=BBC Online}} The president is elected to a six-year term and may serve one term. The parliament may impeach the president. Under the constitution, there is a guarantee of equality between the sexes and an absolute freedom of belief, but Islam is the state religion. The military retains the ability to appoint the national Minister of Defense for the next 8 years. Under the constitution, political parties may not be based on "religion, race, gender or geography"; the law regarding Egyptian political parties that regulated the 2011-2012 parliamentary elections included a similar clause prohibiting religious parties, though it was not enforced.{{cite news |last=Auf |first=Yussef |date=25 November 2014 |title=Political Islam's Fate in Egypt Lies in the Hands of the Courts |url=http://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/egyptsource/political-islam-s-fate-in-egypt-lies-in-the-hands-of-the-courts |access-date=20 January 2015 |work=Atlantic Council}} The document, whilst it does proclaim an absolute freedom of expression, that freedom is often subject to exceptions leading to legal consequences often targeting public supporters of the LGBTQ community.{{Cite web|date=2015-03-17|title=Cairo Court Sentences Talk Show Host Ahmed Moussa To Prison {{!}} Egyptian Streets|url=https://egyptianstreets.com/2015/03/17/cairo-court-sentences-talk-show-host-ahmed-moussa-to-prison/|access-date=2021-07-27|language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2017-11-03 |title=Egyptian TV Presenter Sentenced to 3 Years in Prison on Charges of 'Outraging Public Decency' |url=https://egyptianstreets.com/2017/11/03/egyptian-tv-presenter-sentenced-to-3-years-in-prison-on-charges-of-outraging-public-decency/ |access-date=2021-07-27 |website=Egyptian Streets}}{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/17/world/middleeast/egypt-constitution-nears-passage-as-authorities-step-up-crackdown-.html?_r=0|title=Egypt's Crackdown Belies Constitution as It Nears Approval|first=David|last=Kirkpatrick|date=17 January 2014|work=The New York Times|access-date=19 January 2014}} The constitution protects texts pertaining to presidency terms, freedoms and equality from being amended in an entrenched clause in article 226, except with more guarantees.{{Cite book|title=The Constitution of Egypt|pages=62}}
Reception
In 2014, the constitution was criticized by the Revolutionary Socialists{{Cite news|title=Revolutionary Socialists call for "no" vote on constitution|url=http://en.aswatmasriya.com/news/view.aspx?id=344008f6-1b40-4b42-808e-e1db084248c6|agency=Aswat Masriya|date=18 December 2013|access-date=19 January 2014}} and the Road of the Revolution Front,{{cite web|url=http://english.ahram.org.eg/News/91136.aspx|title=Way of the Revolution Front to vote no to constitution|work=Ahram Online|date=8 January 2014|access-date=19 January 2014}} who perceived it as leaving too much power in the hands of the military.
See also
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{Wikisource|Constitution of Egypt}}
- [http://www.sis.gov.eg/Newvr/Dustor-en001.pdf Unofficial translation of the 2014 constitution]
- [http://www.sis.gov.eg/Newvr/consttt%202014.pdf Official 2014 constitution] {{in lang|ar}}
- {{cite web |url=https://www.presidency.eg/ar/مصر/الدستور/|title=The Constitution (presidency)}}
{{Constitutions of Africa}}
{{Constitutions of Asia}}
{{Egyptian Revolution of 2011}}
{{Egypt topics}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Constitutions of Egypt