Independent Egypt celebrates new Constitution with national holiday
Cairo, 21 April 1923, - A national holiday is to be observed in Egypt to celebrate the promulgation of a historic, new Constitution.
It comes just over a year after the British government, in February 1922, terminated its ‘protectorate’ over Egypt and recognised Egypt’s status as an ‘independent sovereign state.’
The new Constitution ‘harmonises with the national aspirations’, the Egyptian premier Abdel Khalek Sarwat Pasha has claimed, adding that ‘no medication has been introduced affecting the fundamental principle of the people’s sovereignty, which principle inspired all its provisions.’
Pasha’s statement confirms that throughout the process of framing the new Constitution, he had kept King Fouad informed of his government’s deliberations. ‘His Majesty invariably accorded a friendly reception to all the propositions and manifested a liberal spirit on the subject.’
The premier never ceased to be inspired by the King’s unwavering love for his people, and stated that his contestant thought was to facilitate the realisation of national aspirations in giving Egypt a Constitution worthy of her, and the ‘elevated position that he wishes her to occupy among the free, civilised nations.’
In the re-ordering of relations with Egypt in 1922, the British
government reserved certain powers and responsibilities to
its own discretion:
- the security of the
communications of the British Empire in Egypt
- The defence of Egypt
against all foreign aggression or interference, direct or
indirect;
- The protection of
foreign interests in Egypt and the protection of minorities.
- The Sudan.
Pathé newsreel footage as Egypt rejoices, 1922 ‘Egypt rejoices in her freedom after 2,000 years of dependence - the Sultan now becomes King Fouad.’
[Editor's note: This is an article from Century Ireland, a fortnightly online newspaper, written from the perspective of a journalist 100 years ago, based on news reports of the time.]
