Basic System of Government

The President

The President of Egypt is the Head of the State, and he was also, under the former Egyptian Constitution, the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces and Head of the Executive Authority (the Egyptian Cabinet). Hitherto,Declaration 2 does not give the President the same wide excessive authorities, where he/she is only stated to be the Head of the State and the Head of the National Defence Council. Following the revocation Declaration 3, it is expected that the President shall assume the customary powers normally afforded thereto under a presidential political system. It is also worth noting that on August 12, 2012, the President has appointed one new vice-president, who was a former vice-president of the Egyptian Court of Cassation.

Requirements to Hold Office

Article 75 of the former Egyptian Constitution clearly states that a President of Egypt must meet certain requirements. First, he must be an Egyptian national, born to Egyptian parents and enjoy both political and civil rights. Moreover, his age should not be less than 40 calendar years. Declaration 2 sets out the same conditions, and adds that neither he/she nor his/her parents shall have acquired another nationality, other than the Egyptian nationality, and that he/she shall not have a foreign spouse.

Term(s) of Office

According to the former Constitution, after being elected by the qualified special majority of the Parliament, the President serves six consecutive calendar years from the date the results of the plebiscite are announced. Once his term ends, he may be re-elected for other successive terms, as the former Constitution does not state any limit to the number of terms a president may serve. Declaration 2, on the other hand, sets out a term of four calendar years that may only be renewed once for one successive term.

Powers

According to Declaration 2, the President appoints the Prime Minister, the Ministers and their delegates, appoints the appointed members of the People’s Assembly, calls the People’s Assembly and Shoura Councils to enter into normal session, and issues laws or objects to them. The President further enjoys the right to represent the State domestically and abroad, pardon convicts and reduce the punishment thereof, and sign international treaties and agreements.

Cabinet

As the chief executive body of Egypt, the Cabinet consists of the Prime Minister and the Cabinet Ministers. In addition to its management of daily affairs and setting strategies for development and reform in all areas, it has a role in shaping the agenda of the houses of Parliament by proposing laws to Parliament, as well as amendments during parliamentary meetings. It may also make use of procedures to speed up parliamentary deliberations.

Articles (135) and (156) of the former Constitution clearly define the legal capacity of the Cabinet as follows:

  • To assist the Head of State in the making of general policies.
  • To implement such policies in the various fields.
  • To issue and monitor the implementation of administrative and executive decrees according to law.
  • To prepare draft laws and decrees.
  • To draft the State General Plan.
  • To draft the State General Budget.
  • To seal loan agreements and grants in accordance with the articles of the old Constitution.
  • To follow up on the execution of laws, and to protect State security, rights and interests.

Declaration 2 sets out the legal capacity of the Cabinet as follows:

  • To assist the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces in the making of general policies, and to supervise their implementation in accordance with the laws and the presidential decrees.
  • To guide, liaise with and follow up on the Ministries, their affiliated entities, authorities and public institutions
  • To issue administrative and executive decrees in accordance with the laws, regulations and decrees, and to monitor their execution.
  • To prepare draft laws, regulations and decrees.
  • To draft the State General Budget.
  • To draft the State General Plan.
  • To seal loan agreements and grants in accordance with the articles of the Constitution.
  • To follow up on the execution of laws, and to protect State security, rights and interests.

Traditionally, the Cabinet consists of:

  • The Prime Minister
  • Ministers
  • Ministers of State, who have considerably more transient portfolios since positions may be created and dissolved in reaction to a shift in government priorities or a change in the specific qualifications of candidates without altering the departmental structure. The Ministers of State have specific tasks or agencies that they must oversee, e.g. the Ministry of State for Environmental Affairs, Ministry of State for the Peoples’ Assembly, and the Ministry of State for Administrative Development.
  • Ministers without portfolio, ministers who are not in charge of particular departments such as the Chief of the Egyptian Intelligence Services.
  • Chairmen of Departments, who are men/women that head important departments, which do not fall under the jurisdiction of any of the ministers. The first category thereof answers directly to the President, such as the National Council for Women. The second category answers directly to the Prime Minister, such as the Chairman of Suez Canal Authority, Sports Authority, and Youth Authority.
  • Ministers-Delegate, who have been delegated duties by the ministers to assist them in some areas of their departments. They rarely are asked or invited to attend cabinet meetings.

Ministries

  • Central Laboratory for Agricultural Expert Systems.

  • Supreme Council of Culture
  • The General Organization for Books and National Documentary
  • Egyptian Museum
  • National Cultural Center (Cairo Opera House)
  • Egyptian General Authority for Books
  • General Authority Cultural Centers
  • National Organization for Urban Harmony
  • Academy of Arts
  • Cultural Development Fund

  • General Authority for Educational Buildings
  • E-Learning
  • General Authority for Libraries

  • Egyptian Export Promotion Center
  • Egyptian International Trade Point
  • National Navigation Company
  • Egyptian Commercial Service
  • General Organization for Exports and Imports Control
  • Egypt Expo and Convention Authority
  • Egyptian Cooperation for Exports Guarantee
  • Egyptian Bank for Export Development
  • Intellectual Property Unit
  • Industrial Development Authority
  • Egyptian Organization for Standardization and Quality
  • Industrial Control Authority
  • Productivity and Vocational Training Authority
  • Industrial and Mining Projects Council
  • Al Amiria Printing Press
  • Tebbin Institute for Metallurgical Studies
  • Egyptian Accreditation Council
  • Chemistry Administration
  • Industrial Modernization Center
  • Human Resources Unit
  • Qualifying Industrial Zones
  • Egypt Technology Transfer and Innovation Cente
  • Industrial Training Council
  • Trade Information Center
  • Egyptian Competition Authority
  • Foreign Trade Training Center

  • Tourism Promotion Agency
  • Cairo International Convention and Exhibition Center
  • Egyptian Authority for Tourism

  • New Urban Communities Authority
  • Housing and Building National Research Center
  • Real Estate Market Place

  • Dar Al-Iftaa Al-Masriyyah
  • Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs
  • Emigration and Egyptians Abroad Sector

  • Egyptian Universities Network
  • National Committee for Education Science and Culture
  • Academy of the Arabic Language

  • National Authority for Remote Sensing and Space Sciences
  • Academy of Scientific Research and Technology
  • National Research Centre

  • National Water Research Center

  • Civil State Organization
  • Police Academy
  • Public Security Sector
  • Passport, Emigration and Nationality Administration
  • General Department of Labor Permits
  • General Department of Administrative Affairs
  • General Traffic Department
  • General Department of Tourism and Antiquities Police
  • Prisons Sector
  • General Department of Public Funds Crime’s Investigation Police
  • Anti- Narcotics General Administration

  • General Committee for Foreign Aids
  • General Authority for Supply Commodities
  • Consumer Protection Agency
  • Internal Trade Development Authority
  • Egyptian Holding Company for Containers and Storage
  • Authority for Jewelry Stamps and Balances

  • National Center for Social and Criminological Research
  • Nasser Social Bank
  • General Committee for Foreign Aids

  • General Authority for Investment and Free Zones
  • NCapital Market Authority
  • Cairo and Alexandria Stock Exchanges
  • Egyptian Investment Portal
  • Ministry of Finance
    • Egyptian Customs Authority
    • Real Estate Authority
    • Government Services Authority
    • Public Private Partnership Central Unit
    • Customs Authority
    • Small and Medium Enterprises Development Unit
    • Sales Tax Authority
    • Egyptian Income Tax Authority
  • Ministry of Communications and Information Technology

    • Information Technology Industry Development Agency
    • Information Technology Institute
    • Technology and Innovation Entrepreneurship Center
    • National Postal Organization
    • National Telecommunication Regulatory Authority
    • Software Engineering Competence Center
    • Center for Documentation of Cultural and Natural Heritage
    • Smart Village
    • Communication and Information Technology Industry Portal (CITEgypt)
    • Eternal Egypt Kenana Online
  • Ministry of Petroleum and Metallurgical Wealth

    • Egyptian Petroleum Research Institute
    • Egyptian General Petroleum Company
    • Egyptian National Gas Holding Company
    • Egyptian Petrochemicals International Holding
    • Egyptian Natural Gas Company
    • Egyptian Geological Survey and Mining Authority
  • Ministry of Electricity and Energy

    • Egyptian Electricity Holding Company
    • Hydro Power Plants Executive Authority
    • New and Renewable Energy Authority
    • Egyptian Electricity Utility and Consumer Protection Regulatory Agency
  • Ministry of State for Environmental Affairs
  • Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation
  • Ministry of Health and Housing

    • General Organization for Teaching Hospitals and Institutes
    • Egyptian Ambulances Organization
    • Egyptian Drug Authority
    • Central Department for Laboratories
  • Ministry of Civil Aviation

    • Cairo International Airport
  • Ministry of Transportation

    • National Authority for Tunnels
    • Maritime Transport Sector
    • Egyptian Maritime Data Bank
    • General Authority for Roads, Bridges and Land Transport
  • Ministry of State for Military Production
  • Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation Facilities
  • Ministry of State for Antiquities
  • Ministry of State for Youth
  • Ministry of State for Sports
  • Ministry of Media
    • Egyptian Radio and Television Union
    • Egyptian News Center