Constitution of Egypt: Difference between revisions

The 2014 constitution sets up a president and parliament.<ref name="BBC">{{cite news|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-25796110|title=BBC News - Egypt referendum: '98% back new constitution'|last=BBC|date=18 January 2014|work=[[BBC Online]]|accessdate=19 January 2014}}</ref> The president is elected to a four-year term and may serve 2 terms.<ref name="BBC"/> The parliament may impeach the president.<ref name="BBC"/> Under the constitution, there is a guarantee of equality between the sexes and an absolute freedom of belief, but Islam is the state religion.<ref name="BBC"/> The military retains the ability to appoint the national Minister of Defense for the next 8 years.<ref name="BBC"/> Under the constitution, political parties may not be based on "religion, race, gender or geography";<ref name="BBC"/>; the law regarding Egyptian political parties that regulated the [[Egyptian parliamentary election, 2011–12|2011-2012 parliamentary elections]] included a similar clause prohibiting religious parties, though it was not enforced.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/egyptsource/political-islam-s-fate-in-egypt-lies-in-the-hands-of-the-courts|title=Political Islam’s Fate in Egypt Lies in the Hands of the Courts|last=David H. Kirkpatrick|date=25 November 2014|work=New York Times|accessdate=1 December 2014}}</ref> The document guarantees an absolute freedom of expression that is subject to broad exceptions.<ref name="NYT17Jan">{{cite news|url=http://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=New York Times|accessdate=19 January 2014}}</ref>