[citation needed] Throughout its history, formidable human cultures and civilizations offered the most advanced form of governance and management.
After Alexander the Great had invaded Egypt in 330 B.C., the Hellenistic era began, mixing between the Egyptian and the Greek civilizations.
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.
Judges had their verdicts directly based on Islamic jurisprudence (Sharia) principles as far as civil and criminal disputes were concerned.
As a result of the mounting resistance against the Ottoman ruler, the Wali and (Mamloukes), Egypt had been on the verge of a massive revolt.
In less than ten years, there was a great variety in these parties; in their nature, formation, organization, power, their popular base and platforms.
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.
In May 1805, the Ulama (religious scholars) of Al-Azhar led the lower-case mature democratic revolution Egypt witnessed.
All classes of the society took part in that revolution whose leader named Mohammed Ali before the Ottoman Sultan could send a wali of his own.
Immediately after assuming power, Mohamad Ali started a comprehensive administrative revolution with a view to establishing modern institutions, including a representative council.
It consisted of high-ranking government employees, Ulama, and dignitaries, chaired by Ibrahim Pasha, the son of Mohammad Ali.
That Council was like a general assembly consisting of 156 members, 33 of whom were high-ranking employees and Ulama, 24 province superintendents, and 99 Egyptian dignitaries elected by the people.
The year 1866 witnessed the most important development in Egyptian parliamentary life when Khedive Ismail established the Advisory Council of Representatives.
The standing order consisted of eighteen articles that established the election system, candidate eligibility requirements and Assembly legislative terms.
The council's standing order and rules of procedure were highly influenced by contemporary European, particularly French, parliamentary systems.
The Advisory Council of Representatives consisted of 75 members elected by dignitaries in Cairo, Alexandria and Damietta, as well as the Undas, (village chiefs) and sheikhs in other provinces.
They were elected for the first time in Khedive Ismail's reign, in addition to the Speaker who was appointed by a royal decree.
This development emanated from the beacon schools spread by a group of leading intellects and writers, as well as newspapers, which stressed the need to establish a representative council that sustains more competences in legislation as much as in control.
In 1878, the first cabinet of ministers was created, and the parliament re-established and given more powers of exercise (although some matters, like financial affairs, remained outside its competences).
In June 1879, the new standing order of the Advisory Council of Representatives was prepared for issuance by the Khedive (Head of State).
That basic law held the Cabinet accountable to the Representative Council elected by the people, which had the authority to legislate and interpellate the minister.
However, this did not last long, as the Egyptian Council of Representatives had held one ordinary session (December 26, 1881 – March 26, 1882) before Britain occupied Egypt and repealed the basic law.
In fact, the Legislative Assembly lasted from January 22, 1914, till June 17, 1914 when World War I broke out and martial laws were declared in Egypt.
Later in December 1914, Britain declared Egypt a British protectorate, and the legislative Assembly session was postponed indefinitely.
Political life in the period 1923–1952 varied between tides of limited popular democracy and ebbs due to intervention by occupation forces and the palace, which led to the dissolution of parliament ten times.
This deterioration was reflected in a state of political and governmental instability to the extent that Egypt had developed 40 cabinets in the period 1923–1952.
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).
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.
In 1986, a law modifying the electoral process, the basis of relating party lists to the individual majority system was issued.