Parliamentary life in Egypt has been a mark of Egyptian civilizations along its history. In modern Egypt, parliamentary life started as early as 1824 while representative parliamentary life did not start until 1866. In 2016, Egypt celebrated the 150th anniversary of Parliamentary life in their country.

As of 2019, Parliament of Egypt is bicameral, made up of the House of Representatives as the lower house and the Senate as the upper house.

Early history Egypt is known for beginning the earliest administrative and legislative codes in history. Throughout its history, formidable human cultures and civilizations offered the most advanced form of governance and management. The Egyptian Civilization laid the groundwork of governance and management. The Pharaoh, on top of the state hierarchy, appointed high-ranking government officials. A viable system of government has been in force ever since the third and fourth dynasties, several codes were unleashed; some were related to limited working hours of peasants while others combatted forced labor and other tiring jobs.

After Alexander the Great had invaded Egypt in 330 B.C., the Hellenistic era began, mixing between the Egyptian and the Greek civilizations. After his death, the Ptolemy era began only to be overthrown by the Romans.

Although Roman rule was bitter, Egyptians had retained most of their respective traditions, rules, and norms until Christianity spread in the first half of the first century, with the church largely sharing in the sustainability of intrinsic habits and customs.

Middle ages During the Islamic era, governance and legislation were principally drawn from the Qur'an and the Sunnah based on the formula of consultation sûra being one of the fundamental principles of Islamic law. When Cairo became the capital of the Fatimid Caliphate (969–1171) governance and legislation had developed. Furthermore, the city of Cairo became the capital of Egypt and the Islamic Caliphate.

Throughout the era of the Ayyubid dynasty (1171–1250), the Cairo Citadel became the headquarters and the center of power. Legislative and judicial councils diversified, and there was a justice council and another to attend to complaints lodged. Their duties involved laws as well as treaties with foreign countries

In the Mamelouk era (1250–1517), Sultan El-Zaher Baibars built the Court of Justice at Salah El-Deen El-Ayoubi citadel to be the government premises. Its competence covered enforcement of laws, settling of disputes, and negotiations with nearby countries.

Pre-1923 history

In the era of (1517–1805), Islamic courts constituted the judicial system applied. Judges had their verdicts directly based on Islamic jurisprudence (Sharia) principles as far as civil and criminal disputes were concerned. This continued in effect until the end of the 18th Century. Thus, Egypt had been the scene of crucial political and social developments

In 1795, almost six years after the French Revolution, a major political uprising demanding rights, freedoms and justice fueled. It brought together national forces and popular leaderships in support of national demands for justice, equality and freedom.

As a result of the mounting resistance against the Ottoman ruler, the Wali and (Mamelukes), Egypt had been on the verge of a massive revolt. This led to the Ulama laying their hands on a written document which outlined the individual - ruler relationship averting a tax hike without the consent of the people's representatives notably, the dignitaries (the Ulama).

Emergence of political parties in Egypt in the 19th century was a reflection of social, economic and cultural interactions as well as certain historical, national and political circumstances, leading to the creation and development of modern institutions of government administration and society, such as the parliament, cabinets, political parties, syndicates, etc. This emergence has been gradual and has gone through successive stages. Political parties have firstly been formed as secret societies that were followed by formation of political groups.

The first ever of these was the National Party established in 1879 in the midst of the Urabi Revolution. However, it was short-lived and ended with the British occupation of Egypt in 1882 and the exile of the Urabists outside of Egypt. The next big landmark year was 1907, when a large number of parties were formed including: the Free National Party (al-Hizb al-Watani al-'urr), a pro-British party; the National Party (al-Hizb al-Watani), an anti-British party founded by Mustafa Kamil Pasha; the Nation Party (Hizb al-Umma), led by notable persons as Ahmed Lutfi el-Sayed and the Reformation Party (Hizb al-Isla'), formed by sheikh Ali Yusuf and ended with his death. In less than ten years, there was a great variety in these parties; in their nature, formation, organization, power, their popular base and platforms. There were national parties, groups dominated by the royal palace, others formed by the occupation authority as well as ideological parties expressing certain ideologies.

From 1907 to 1920, the already-formed political parties in Egypt were a starting signal for the dissemination of further parties; however, they were restricted due to the British occupation and Egyptian subordination to the Ottoman Empire. The February 1922 Unilateral Declaration of Egyptian Independence and the issuance of the 1923 Constitution led to the establishment a royal constitutional rule based on party pluralism and the principles of liberal democracy.

Under the 1923 Constitution

After the end of World War I, the 1919 Egyptian Revolution broke out calling for liberty, independence and democracy. This revolution resulted in the 28 February 1922 declaration which recognized Egypt as an independent state (with some reservations) and terminated Egypt as a British protectorate.

Based on this new status, a new Egyptian Constitution was promulgated in April 1923 by a 30-member legislative committee that included representatives of political parties, as well as national movement leaders.

The 1923 Constitution of Egypt was a previous working constitution of Egypt during the period 1923–1952. It was replaced by the 1930 Constitution for a 5-year period (1930–1935) before being restored in 1935. It adopted the parliamentary representative system based on separation of and cooperation among authorities. The Parliament was bicameral system made up of the Senate and the House of Representatives.

During 1923–1952 Egypt witnessed a remarkable experience rich in political and democratic practices, however, such an experience was marked with many defects such as the British occupation, foreign intervention in Egypt's affairs and the royal palace's interference in political life.

After the 1952 Revolution

Under the 1956 Constitution

In 1956, the new Constitution was proclaimed stipulating for the formation of the National Assembly on 22 July 1957 with the membership of 350 elected members. However it effective until 10 February 1958, when the Egyptian-Syrian merger was given force and the 1956 Constitution revoked.

Under the UAR Constitution The Provisional Constitution of the United Arab Republic 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 September 1961.

Under the 1963 provisional Constitution

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 January 1969, and the Assembly was valid until 30 August 1971.

Under the 1971 Constitution

The 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. Under the 1971 Constitution, The Egyptian Parliament was bi-cameral, made up of the People's Assembly of Egypt and the Shura Council, with the membership of 454 members, including ten members appointed by the President of the Republic.

The Parliament met for one nine-month session each year: under special circumstances the President of the Republic could call an additional session. Even though the powers of the Parliament have increased since the 1980 Amendments of the Constitution, the Parliament lacked the powers to effectively balance the powers of the President.

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.

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.

People's Assembly

The People's Assembly was the lower house and was formed in 1971 as a result of the adoption of the new constitution. The Assembly is made up of 454 deputies, 444 of whom are directly elected while the remaining 10 are appointed by the President of the Republic. The Constitution reserves 50 percent of the Assembly's seats for "workers and farmers", one per each two seat constituency. The Assembly sits for a five-year term but can be dissolved earlier by the president. All seats are voted on in each election.

Shura Council

The Shura Council was the upper house. Its name roughly translates into English as "the Consultative Council". The council was created in 1980 through a constitutional amendment. The council was composed of 264 members of which 174 members are directly elected and the 88 are appointed by the President of the Republic for six-year terms. Membership was rotating, with one half of the Council renewed every three years. The Shura Council's legislative powers were limited. On most matters of legislation, the People's Assembly retained the last word in the event of a disagreement between the two houses. The 130-year-old Shura Council building was completely burnt on 19 August 2008. The council was abolished in the 2013 draft constitution; the constitution has been passed, meaning that the abolition is final.

Functional Structure

Post-2011 overthrow of Mubarak Parliament was dissolved repeatedly in the aftermath of the overthrow of Mubarak; The Parliament elected in 2010, under Mubarak, was dissolved by the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces in 2011. A new Parliament was elected at the end of 2011/beginning of 2012. This Parliament was dominated by islamist political parties and dissolved by the Supreme Constitutional Court in June 2012 then restored by order of elected president Mohamed Morsi in July 2012, and then dissolved again by order of the interim president Adly Mansour in 2013.