Egyptian government resigns

Egyptian prime minister Hazem el-Beblawi has announced that his government has resigned.

Addressing the public on state television on Monday, Beblawi said: “Today the cabinet took a decision to offer its resignation to the president of the republic. For the past six to seven months the government made every effort to get Egypt out of the narrow tunnel in terms of security, economic pressures and political confusion, and did not spare any efforts to get Egypt out of a bad phase.”

77-year-old Beblawi has given no clear reason for his decision. He was appointed as the interim prime minister of Egypt in July 2013 after the army ousted president Mohammed Morsi from the Muslim brotherhood following mass protests against his rule.

The Egyptian government has not yet announced Beblawi’s successor, nor is it clear whether any of his ministers will be reappointed.

A state run newspaper, Al-Ahram, has reported on speculation that Beblawi would be succeeded by the outgoing housing minister, Ibrahim Mahlab, who is the former head of Egypt’s largest building firm and is seen as a more active and decisive leader than Beblawi.

Today’s move would also give way for the Egyptian army chief field marshal, Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, to declare his candidacy for president. However, for Sisi to run for president he would first need to leave his post as defence minister.

Aastha Gill