Ahmed Shafiq, who came second in the first round of the presidential elections, said on Friday that he doesn’t oppose the Muslim Brotherhood forming a cabinet if he is elected president.
In an interview with Al-Hayat satellite channel, Shafiq said ”I see no problem if Egypt’s next prime minister belongs to the [Brotherhood’s] Freedom and Justice Party.”
Shafiq, Hosni Mubarak's last prime minister, had an extraordinary performance in the elections, garnering huge support in the Delta region, traditionally a major stronghold for Islamists.
According to unofficial results from the first round, Shafiq will face the Brotherhood's Mohamed Morsy in the 16-17 June runoff vote.
In Egypt's existing system of government, only the president — or during the current transitional period, the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces — has the right to from a government or dismiss one.
In March, the Brotherhood entered a major dispute with the SCAF when the former asked to form a coalition government reflecting the make-up of the parliament.
