1929 Egyptian parliamentary election

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Parliamentary elections were held in Egypt on 21 December 1929.[1] The result was a victory for the Wafd Party, which won 216 of the 232 seats.[2][a] The number of deputies in parliament increased from 211 to 232 after the 1927 census showed an increase in the population.[3]

Quick facts First party, Second party ...
1929 Egyptian parliamentary election

← 1926
21 December 1929
1931 â†’
  First party Second party
 
Leader Mostafa el-Nahas Mohammed Mahmoud
Party Wafd Liberal Constitutional
Seats won 216 5
Percentage 60.88% 18.85%

Prime Minister before election

Adly Yakan Pasha
Liberal Constitutional

Subsequent Prime Minister

Mostafa el-Nahas
Wafd

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A 1928 cartoon in al Kashkul showing Mostafa el-Nahas filling in Sa'ad Zaghloul's chair after his death

Background

After the 1926 elections the alliance between the Wafd and Liberal Constitutionalists initially held. Soon, however, a political crisis emerged after a draft treaty between the British Foreign Secretary Austen Chamberlain and Egyptian Prime Minister Sarwat Pasha. The treaty was rejected by the Wafd majority parliament, leading to Sarwat's resignation and the formation of a coalition cabinet between the Wafd, led by Mostafa el-Nahas after Saad Zaghloul's death, and the Liberal Constitutionalists. Nahas' first government was short lived after it was dismissed by King Fua'd following a British ultimatum. Specifically, the British objected to an amendment in the Egyptian assembly depriving the police the right to break up public meetings and assemblies.[4][5][6]

Following Nahas' government, Mohammed Mahmud of the Liberal Constitutional party became prime minister, forming a coalition between Liberals and Ittihadists.[7] He later dissolved parliament and postponed elections, leading to Wafdist backlash. Mahmud entered into negotiations with the new foreign secretary Arthur Henderson, successfully signed an agreement over the Nile river in 1929. However, the British did not want to sign a final treaty without a government elected by the Egyptian people, thus forcing Mahmud to resign and call for new elections.[8][9][10] Mahmud tried to push for elections with restricted suffrage, where only Egyptians who were literate and paid a certain amount in taxes could vote, while the Wafd pushed for full male suffrage.[11] Ultimately, the British allowed for full male suffrage out of fear of antagonizing the Wafd and endangering the acceptance of any future treaty by the Egyptian people.[12] Elections were held under an interim government by Adly Yakan, leading to a Wafd victory.

Results

More information Party, Votes ...
PartyVotes%Seats
Wafd Party610,46160.88216
Liberal Constitutional Party189,01418.855
National Party30,8803.084
Ittihad Party49,4374.930
Independents122,87012.257
Total1,002,662100.00232
Total votes1,002,662–
Registered voters/turnout1,566,37764.01
Source: Khatib[13]
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Aftermath

Nahas would later be unable to secure a treaty with Britain, leading to the collapse of his second government and the emergence of what the historian Marius Deeb calls the "Palace-Sidqi Dictatorship" under the premiership of Ismail Sidky.[14]

Notes

  1. Marsot (1977, p. 129) gives the Wafd 212 out of 235. Deeb (1979, p. 148) gives the Wafd 198 out of 235, with 3 seats each for the National Party and Ittihad, and the remaining went to independent candidates. Khatib's numbers are used because they are the most complete, giving both seats and raw vote totals.

References

Sources

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