2005 Egyptian constitutional referendum

none 2005 Egyptian constitutional referendum 2005 05 25 yes Egypt Do you agree to amending Article 76 of the Constitution of the Arab Republic of Egypt? 13593552 2811894 778856 32086353 A constitutional referendum was held in Egypt on 25 May 2005. Voters were asked to approve or reject an amendment to the constitution that would introduce direct elections for the presidency. Opposition parties called for a boycott of the vote, which was passed by a large majority. Background Under the existing constitution, the People's Assembly, the lower house of the then-bicameral Parliament of Egypt, decided upon a candidate for president. That candidate was then confirmed by the people in a referendum. The incumbent president Hosni Mubarak was confirmed in four referendums in 1981, 1987, 1993 and 1999 receiving at least 95% supporting votes in each referendum. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/middle_east/article416380.ece Mubarak permits first direct elections 2009-03-13 2005-02-28 The Times LondonSeptember 2024 medicmedic By 2005 international and domestic pressure grew for reforms to this process to permit direct elections for the presidency. Michael Jansen Mubarak says he will allow democratic elections The Irish Times 9 2005-02-28 On the 26 February 2005 President Mubarak called on parliament to amend Article 76 of the constitution to allow multi candidate elections for president to take place in time for the presidential election due later in the year. This change would then be put to a referendum in May. William Wallis Mubarak plan to open up elections stuns Egypt Financial Times 11 2005-02-28 On the 10 May the Parliament of Egypt overwhelmingly approved the change to the constitution by 405 votes to 34 and the referendum was set for the 25 May. http://www.iht.com/articles/2005/05/11/news/egypt.php Egypt approves an open presidential vote, but critics see no change 2009-03-14 2005-05-11 International Herald Tribune https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4540605.stm Egypt referendum on poll change 2009-03-14 2005-05-12 BBC Online Referendum question Egyptian voters were asked to vote on the question: Do you agree to amending Article 76 of the Constitution of the Arab Republic of Egypt? http://www.arabnews.com/?page=4&section=0&article=63932&d=18&m=5&y=2005&pix=world.jpg&category=World Opposition in Egypt to Boycott Vote 2009-03-14 2005-05-18 ArabNews Campaign Opposition parties called on voters to boycott the referendum. They were opposed to the strict requirements that the amended constitution would require candidates to meet in order to be able to stand in presidential elections. Under the proposed amendment independent candidates would be required to get the support of 250 elected members of councils and parliament including 65 of the 444 members of the People's Assembly of Egypt in order to stand. Candidates from political parties could stand in the upcoming election in September, but for future presidential elections they would have to win 5% of the seats in the People's Assembly before being able to field a candidate. Political parties would also have to have existed for five years before they could put a candidate up for election. https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4531903.stm Egypt approves new electoral law 2009-03-14 2005-05-10 BBC Online The councils and parliament were all dominated by members of the governing National Democratic Party and no other political party then met the 5% level. https://www.rferl.org/a/1058996.html Egypt: Referendum Held On Multi-Candidate Presidential Polls 2009-03-14 2005-05-25 Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty http://www.iht.com/articles/2005/05/25/africa/web.0525egypt.php Egyptians cast ballots in key referendum 2009-03-14 2005-05-25 International Herald Tribune As a result, the opposition said that the changes would not allow candidates to stand unless the governing party permitted them to. As well as the legal opposition parties, the banned Muslim Brotherhood group also called on voters to boycott the vote, describing it as meaningless. https://www.foxnews.com/story/egypt-approves-referendum-on-elections Egypt Approves Referendum on Elections 2009-03-14 2005-05-26 Fox News Channel https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/4528077.stm Egypt 'reform' law defeat urged 2009-03-14 2005-05-09 BBC Online The government described the amendment as the historic beginning of a new democratic era. They said that restrictions on who could stand as a candidate were necessary in order to prevent candidates who would use their wealth to buy votes and to ensure that only candidates who had a serious chance could stand. https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4577817.stm Egypt votes on election changes 2009-03-14 2005-05-25 BBC Online On the 24 May five petitions by the opposition to stop the vote were rejected by the Egyptian judiciary.http://www.arabicnews.com/ansub/Daily/Day/050524/2005052417.html Egyptian judiciary rejects halting referendum on the constitution 2009-03-14 2005-05-24 www.arabicnews.com dead https://web.archive.org/web/20080522112426/http://www.arabicnews.com/ansub/Daily/Day/050524/2005052417.html 2008-05-22 Conduct On the day of the referendum itself demonstrations were made against the strict rules on who would be able to stand in future presidential elections. At protests in Cairo demonstrators were beaten by government agents and supporters. https://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2005-05-25-egypt-referendum_x.htm Violence mars Egypt's election law referendum 2009-03-14 2005-05-25 USA Today Observers reported seeing a low turnout at the polls in the capital Cairo but reports said there had been a larger turnout elsewhere. https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4582469.stm Clashes tarnish Egypt referendum 2009-03-14 2005-05-26 BBC Online Many Egyptians got time off from work to vote and the Governor of Cairo gave free public transport to those who showed their voter registration card. In a number of areas government employees were taken by bus to the polling stations in order to vote with support for President Mubarak being said to be one of the main reasons for people to vote yes in the referendum. http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=85&art_id=qw111716892270B221 Egypt says 'yes' to contested elections 2009-03-14 2005-05-27 The Independent The official turnout figures at around 54% were higher than in any previous presidential referendum. Results 13593552 2811894 778856 32086353 IFES Aftermath Following the referendum a report produced by Egyptian judges for the Cairo Judges' Syndicate said that the referendum had seen large scale fraud and that the results had been falsified. They said that polling stations where they had supervised voting had seen only a very low turnout, while in areas overseen by civil servants turnout was often over 90%. The Interior Ministry, however, rejected these claims saying that people in Southern Egypt had turned out in high levels due to their interest in voting. http://www.arabnews.com/?page=4&section=0&article=66333&d=3&m=7&y=2005 Egyptian Judges Challenge Referendum Result 2009-03-14 2005-07-03 ArabNews Presidential elections were held under the amended constitution in September 2005 and President Mubarak was re-elected with over 88% of the vote on a low turnout. https://archive.boston.com/news/world/middleeast/articles/2005/09/10/egypts_mubarak_is_reelected_president/ Egypt's Mubarak is reelected president 2009-03-14 2005-09-10 The Boston Globe Thanassis Cambanis References Egypt Constitutional Category:Referendums in Egypt Category:Constitutional referendums in Egypt Constitutional