Egypt

Parliament prepares to withdraw confidence in Ganzouri cabinet

The People’s Assembly on Sunday will hold the first of three sessions to determine its response to a statement from Prime Minister Kamal al-Ganzouri’s government, ahead of a planned vote on withdrawing confidence from the military-appointed cabinet.

The coming sessions will also set dates to file motions alleging financial corruption. They will request these allegations be handled by Ganzouri, as well as the ministers of petroleum, health, local development, transportation, foreign affairs and interior.

The Muslim Brotherhood’s Freedom and Justice Party, the biggest bloc in Parliament, voted last month to begin the process of withdrawing confidence in the cabinet, a move that would take Egypt into uncharted political waters shortly before the military is due to relinquish power.

The military has pledged to hand over to an elected president by 1 July.

Last week, the People’s Assembly announced its rejection of the late February cabinet statement, in which the prime minister listed his cabinet’s achievements since its appointment in December 2011.

MPs slammed the statement as weak and said it failed to shed light on a number of pressing issues.

But according to the country’s interim constitution, Parliament does not have the power to sack a government. Only the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces has the right to appoint the cabinet and discharge ministers.

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