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| Gamal Abdel Nasser |
When Egypt finally escaped the forceful grasps of their colonial rulers, the free-officers were put in charge of instituting a new government to rule over Egypt. In 1953, Gen. Mohammed Naguib was appointed to rule Egypt, however his reign was soon outlived and the British implemented constitutional monarchy of 1922 was abolished. In 1954 the real mastermind of the revolution, Gamal Abdel Nasser rose to power and declared Egypt a republic, with himself as President. Nasser was a strong, charismatic leader, and a perfect fit for Egypt’s new era. He became an advocate for Egyptian and Arabian nationalism, encouraging a pan-Arabic movement throughout the Middle East. Nasser will rule the country until his death in 1970, but during his time in office he made quite and impact on in government.
Nasser’s new republic and constitution was divided into 3 branches, the executive, legislative, and judicial. The executive body consists of the President, Prime Minister, and a cabinet. Authority is given to an elected president who can appoint his vices. The president's term runs for 6 years. Egypt's legislative body is made up of the People's Assembly (454 members, 444 of which are elected and 10 are chosen by the president, and due to a bill passed in 2009 there are an additional 64 new seats set aside for women). There also is a 264-member Shura (consultative) Council (in which 88 members are appointed and 176 elected). Below the national level, authority is exercised by and through governors and mayors appointed by the central government and by popularly elected local councils. In the judicial system the Supreme Constitutional Court regulates the land.
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| Anwar Sadat |
Some of Nasser’s many achievements as President of Egypt were the nationalization of the Suez Canal, Leading the United Arab Republic, and the modernization of Egypt. When he passed away on the September 28th, 1970, his vice-president Anwar Sadat succeeded him as President of Egypt. Although Sadat was rather unknown on the political scene, he proved himself an adequate leader during his 11 years. He is most notable for his global politics, being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts in making peace with Israel. Sadat was assassinated in 1981, leaving power in the hands of Hosni Mubarak.
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| Hosni Mubarak |
In October of 1981, Mubarak assumed his position as the fourth President of Egypt and chairman of the National Democratic Party. He stands as the longest ruling president, surviving several assassination attempts and partaking in two wars, the gulf and Iraq. Nasser’s original Marxist republic has lasted over half a century, but now Egypt is calling for a new era. Mubarak was ousted and forced to resign in early 2011, transferring authority to the Supreme Council of Armed Forces. So far, there is no sign of what Egypt’s government will become.
