4 July 2013 marked the transition of Adly Mansour to the role of interim president of Egypt, an appointment made immediately following the military-led ousting of Mohamed Morsi. Sworn into office before the Supreme Constitutional Court, he occupied the presidency for nearly one year, overseeing a transitional period that reshaped the nation's political landscape during a time of significant domestic instability.
Legal Education and Early Career
Born in 1945 at Markaz al Bājūr, Mansour pursued his foundational legal training at Cairo University, graduating from the Faculty of Law in 1967. He continued his academic work at the institution, completing a postgraduate degree in law in 1969, followed by studies in economics and management science by 1970. His international education included a period at the École nationale d'administration in France between 1975 and 1977. During the 1980s, his professional experience extended beyond Egypt, where he served for six years as an adviser to the Saudi Ministry of Commerce.
Twenty questions, eight minutes on the clock, and a percentile measured against everyone who has taken it. No sign-up.
Take the IQ test →Service in the Supreme Constitutional Court
Mansour was appointed as a justice to the Supreme Constitutional Court of Egypt in 1992, a tenure that would define his professional life for over two decades. He served as the court's vice president for several years. On 19 May 2013, President Mohamed Morsi appointed him to the position of Chief Justice. Although his formal oath of office as Chief Justice was delayed until 4 July 2013, he remained a fixture of the judiciary until his eventual replacement by Abdel Wahab Abdel Razek in 2016.
The Interim Presidency
Following the 2013 Egyptian coup d'état, Minister of Defense Abdel Fattah el-Sisi announced Mansour as the interim head of state. Upon assuming office, Mansour acted to restore the position of vice president, nominating Mohamed ElBaradei to that capacity on 7 July 2013. His administration focused on constitutional amendments, issuing a decree on 8 July for a referendum to endorse changes to the suspended constitution. On 9 July, he appointed Hazem el-Biblawi as acting prime minister. Mansour maintained he would not seek a permanent presidential term, instead planning his eventual return to the constitutional court.
Diplomacy and Recognition
During his interim tenure, Mansour engaged in limited international diplomacy, conducting his first official trip abroad on 8 October 2013 to Saudi Arabia. His service in the Egyptian judiciary and his temporary leadership of the state earned him national honors, including the Order of the Nile and the Order of the Republic. Throughout his career, he has been identified as a jurist, magistrate, and politician, and he remains a practitioner of Sunni Islam.
Fast facts
- Born: 1945, Markaz al Bājūr
- Citizenship: Egypt
- Education: Cairo University, École nationale d'administration
- Positions Held: Interim President of Egypt (2013-2014)
- Judicial Appointments: Justice of the Supreme Constitutional Court (1992)
- Awards: Order of the Nile, Order of the Republic
- Languages: Arabic, Egyptian Arabic
Questions readers ask
Did Adly Mansour run for president after his interim term?
No, he announced on 19 September 2013 that he would not seek election to the presidency.
What was his professional role prior to the presidency?
He served as a career judge and justice of the Supreme Constitutional Court of Egypt, appointed to that body in 1992.
Achievements
- President of Egypt (2013–2014)
- Chief Justice of the Supreme Constitutional Court of Egypt (from 2013)
- Supreme Constitutional Court of Egypt justice (from 1992)
- Order of the Nile
- Order of the Republic
- Educated at Cairo University and École nationale d'administration
