President of Egypt

The president of the Arab Republic of Egypt (Egyptian Arabic: رئيس جمهورية مصر العربية, romanized: Ra'īs gumhūriyyat Miṣr al-ʻArabiyyah) is the head of state of Egypt. This important job means the president leads the country and represents its people at home and in other countries. Under the Constitution of Egypt, the president is also the Supreme commander of the Armed Forces and heads the executive branch of the Egyptian government.

Since the Egyptian revolution of 1952, Egypt has had a president who is the highest leader in the country. Over time, the powers and duties of the president have changed with each new version of the constitution. The president works with other leaders, like the prime minister, to guide the country.

After the end of the monarchy in 1953, six presidents have led Egypt. The first was Mohamed Naguib, followed by Gamal Abdel Nasser, Anwar Sadat, Hosni Mubarak, and Mohamed Morsi. Today, the president is Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, who has held the position since June 8, 2014. The president's role is important in shaping Egypt's future and its place in the world.

History

The first president of Egypt was Mohamed Naguib. He helped lead the Egyptian Revolution of 1952 with Gamal Abdel Nasser. This revolution ended the rule of King Farouk and British control over Egypt. Naguib became the first president when Egypt became a republic in 1953.

Naguib stepped down in 1954, and Gamal Abdel Nasser became president in 1956. Nasser led the United Arab Republic until 1971. He was followed by Anwar Sadat, who worked toward peace with Israel and won a Nobel Peace Prize. Then Hosni Mubarak served as president for nearly 30 years until he left office in 2011 after many people protested.

In 2012, Mohamed Morsi became the first president chosen by a popular vote, but he was removed from office in 2013. Abdel Fattah el-Sisi became president in 2014 and was re-elected in 2018 and again in 2023.

Old electoral system

In the past, Egypt’s way of choosing a president was similar to how France did it. Leaders were picked by a group and then approved by a vote from all people. This changed in 2005 and 2007, so that people could directly vote for their president in a secret ballot. These changes aimed to make sure elections were fair and that many different candidates could run. A special group watched over the elections.

Presidential powers

The president of Egypt is the most important leader in the country. They choose the prime minister and the cabinet, and they lead the government and the military. The president makes big decisions about other countries and can sign laws when the parliament is not meeting.

After big changes in 2011, the president shares some powers with the prime minister. Today, the president is the head of the country and the government. They help make plans for the country, represent Egypt to other nations, and can forgive people who broke the law. In special times of danger, the president can take extra steps to keep everyone safe.

Election

Elections for the president of Egypt happen before the current president's term ends.

Last election

Main article: 2023 Egyptian presidential election

Requirements and candidacy

To become president of Egypt, a person must meet certain rules. They need to be an Egyptian citizen, born to Egyptian parents without any other country's citizenship. They also need to have served in the military or been excused from it, and must be at least forty years old.

Extra rules for running for president say that candidates need support from either 20 members of the House of Representatives or signatures from 25,000 people in 15 different areas of Egypt.

Presidential Election Commission

Changes to the constitution created a "Presidential Election Commission" to oversee the election process. This group has ten members. It handles all parts of the election, from accepting candidates to counting votes and announcing the results. The commission works for five years. All voting happens in one day.

Inauguration and oath of office

When a new president starts their job, they make a special promise. This promise is required by the country's rules. The president says, "I promise to follow our system's rules, respect our laws, care for the people, and protect our country's land." This promise shows that the president will work for the good of everyone in Egypt.

Term(s) of office

Under the old rules, the president of Egypt served for four years and could only serve two terms.

On 14 February 2019, the Egyptian parliament changed the rules. They decided to make presidential terms six years long. They also allowed the current president, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, to serve a third term. These changes were approved by the people in the 2019 Egyptian constitutional referendum. While in office, the president cannot belong to a political party. If a new president is chosen before the current president's time is up, the current president stays in charge until their term ends.

Succession

If the president of Egypt cannot do their job for a little while, the vice president or the prime minister takes over for a short time. They cannot make big changes.

If the president leaves or cannot do their job anymore, the Speaker of the People's Assembly takes over until a new president is chosen. If the People's Assembly is not meeting, the President of the Supreme Constitutional Court takes over. They also cannot make big changes.

The People's Assembly then says the president's job is open, and a new president is chosen within sixty days.

It has become a tradition for the People's Assembly to choose a vice president when the president's job becomes empty. Both Anwar Sadat and Hosni Mubarak were vice-presidents when the president's job became empty.

Resignation

The president can choose to leave their job by telling the People's Assembly.

Gamal Abdel Nasser once said he would leave after a tough time but changed his mind because many people in Egypt wanted him to stay. President Mubarak also left his job on 11 February 2011 during big protests.

Official residences

The president of Egypt has eight official homes and guest houses. The main home and office is Heliopolis Palace in Cairo. Other important homes include:

• Abdeen Palace, in Old Cairo;
• Koubbeh Palace, in Cairo;
• Ras Al-Teen Palace, in Alexandria;
• Montaza Palace, in Alexandria;
• Al-Tahra Palace, in Cairo;
• Al-Oroba Palace, in Cairo.

List of presidents

Main article: List of presidents of Egypt

The president of Egypt is the most important leader of the country. This person is the head of state and also leads the government's work. The president is also the top commander of the country's armed forces.