My Teenage Life in Egypt

E G Y P T

This is a scene from one of the many marches and gatherings from the Arab Spring protests in 2011 and 2012 in Egypt, which saw the birth of a new government.

The Government Egypt’s government is officially a republic. Apresident andprimeminister divide power in the executive branch. A unicameral legislature has nearly 600members. They belong to one of more than 100 political parties. In theory, these two branches administer the country as a democracy. In reality, the president wields most of the authority. Gamal Abdel Nasser was actually the second president even though he was the leader of the group that overthrew themonarchy. He took office in 1956, andmade many advances including the construction of the vital Aswan High Dam. However, many people believe he laid the groundwork for the increasing power of the presidency. He also led the country to a disastrous defeat by Israel in 1967, in which Egypt lost the Sinai Peninsula. Nasser died in office of a heart attack three years later.

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