Egypt’s interim prime minister says his Cabinet has resigned.
Hazem el-Beblawi’s military-backed government was sworn in on July 16, less than two weeks after the army ousted Islamist President Mohammed Morsi after a year in office.
The government’s surprise resignation, announced by el-Beblawi in a live Monday TV broadcast, comes amid a host of strikes, including one by public transport workers and garbage collectors. An acute shortage of cooking gas has also been making front page news the past few days.
It was not immediately clear who will replace el-Beblawi, who has often been derided in the media for his perceived indecisiveness and inability to introduce effective remedies to the country’s economic woes.
The state-run Al Ahram newspaper, citing an unnamed source, said the decision was made after a 15-minute meeting of the cabinet. Army chief Field Marshal Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, who is expected to run for president, was part of the cabinet, serving as defence minister.
“This was done as a step that was needed ahead of Sissi’s announcement that he will run for president,” an Egyptian official told Reuters.
Sisi unveiled a political road map meant to lead to elections after toppling Islamist President Mohammed Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood in July following mass protests against his rule.
Morsi’s removal triggered the bloodiest political crisis in Egypt’s modern history, with security forces killing hundreds of his supporters and jailing thousands. Hundreds of security personnel have also died in the turmoil.
- Agencies
