Egypt

Brotherhood figure denies negotiating with ElBaradei over premiership

The vice chairperson of the Muslim Brotherhood’s Freedom and Justice Party, Essam al-Erian, denied Saturday's news about negotiations with reform advocate Mohamed ElBaradei and constitution professor Hossam Eissa to preside over the cabinet if Brotherhood candidate Mohamed Morsy became president.

The Presidential Elections Commission said it will announce the result of the runoff election on Sunday at 3 pm. However, sources said Morsy had secured more votes than his rival Ahmed Shafiq, the last prime minister under ousted president Hosni Mubarak.

Brotherhood figure Mohamed al-Beltagy denied reports that the FJP intends to form a committee of political figures to resolve the crisis the country has been through after a military-issued complementary Constitutional Declaration last week reduced the powers of the new president and the People’s Assembly was dissolved in accordance with a Supreme Constitutional Court ruling.

Erian said that all those whom Morsy had met or will meet with “are partners facing the coup over the people’s will,” referring to the complementary constitutional declaration.

“Everyone is looking forward at the moment to the military council’s commitment to return to its barracks by end of this month and hand over powers to an elected president,” Erian added.

Erian also denied that Morsy had started talks for the selection of his prime minister, saying, “The situation is very critical. We’re still waiting for the announcement of the results. If we find an independent figure capable of running the country at this time, we will consider that they form the government.”

“The Brotherhood was fiercely criticized for making announcements about the presidential elections, so what would happen if it announced the new prime minister?” he said.

Erian warned against "deep anger" if the election is manipulated or re-run, but expressed confidence about the numbers of votes Morsy won in the runoff.

Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm

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