Parliamentary elections were held in Egypt

Egypt

Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...

 on 3 July 1957, having originally been scheduled for November 1956, but postponed due to the Suez Crisis

Suez Crisis

The Suez Crisis, also referred to as the Tripartite Aggression, Suez War was an offensive war fought by France, the United Kingdom, and Israel against Egypt beginning on 29 October 1956. Less than a day after Israel invaded Egypt, Britain and France issued a joint ultimatum to Egypt and Israel,...

. The first since the 1952 revolution, which saw King Farouk

Farouk of Egypt

Farouk I of Egypt , was the tenth ruler from the Muhammad Ali Dynasty and the penultimate King of Egypt and Sudan, succeeding his father, Fuad I, in 1936....

 overthrown, and the approval of a new constitution in a referendum

Egyptian referendum, 1956

A double referendum was held in Egypt on 23 June 1956. The two issues were the candidacy of Gamal Abdel Nasser for the post of president, and a new constitution. Both were approved, with 99.9% in favour of Nasser's candidacy and 99.8% in favour of the constitution.-Nasser for President:-New...

 in June 1956, the election was carried out on a non-partisan basis, although nearly 50% of candidates were rejected by army officials for being "undesirable" or "unworthy". They were also the first elections in Egypt in which women had the right to vote or stand for election. Despite only six women contesting the election out of a total of over 2,000 candidates, and 70% of Egyptian men being against their presence in parliament, Rawya Ateya

Rawya Ateya

Rawya Ateya was an Egyptian woman who became the first female parliamentarian in the Arab world in 1957.-Early life:Rawya Ateya was born in Giza Governorate on 19 April 1926. She grew up in a politically active family. Her father was the secretary-general of the liberal Wafd Party in Gharbia, and...

 and Amina Shukri were elected, becoming the first women parliamentarians in the Arab World

Arab world

The Arab world refers to Arabic-speaking states, territories and populations in North Africa, Western Asia and elsewhere.The standard definition of the Arab world comprises the 22 states and territories of the Arab League stretching from the Atlantic Ocean in the west to the Arabian Sea in the...

.

Following its election, the 350-member National Assembly was seated on 22 July. However, it had little power, with its votes against government policy being ignored by President Gamal Abdel Nasser

Gamal Abdel Nasser

Gamal Abdel Nasser Hussein was the second President of Egypt from 1956 until his death. A colonel in the Egyptian army, Nasser led the Egyptian Revolution of 1952 along with Muhammad Naguib, the first president, which overthrew the monarchy of Egypt and Sudan, and heralded a new period of...

. The Assembly was dissolved on 10 February 1958 following Egypt and Syria

Syria

Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....

 merging to form of the United Arab Republic

United Arab Republic

The United Arab Republic , often abbreviated as the U.A.R., was a sovereign union between Egypt and Syria. The union began in 1958 and existed until 1961, when Syria seceded from the union. Egypt continued to be known officially as the "United Arab Republic" until 1971. The President was Gamal...

, and the establishment of a joint National Assembly with 400 members from Egypt and 200 from Syria.