the People’s Assembly speaker

A senior government source on Sunday denied reports that the military council was about to dismiss or reshuffle the cabinet in the next few hours, despite the People's Assembly speaker saying he had been informed by the military such a move was about to take place

The current government will only last until 30 June, said the government source, implying that such a move would be unnecessary at this point.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, the source added that Prime Minister Kamal al-Ganzouri met on Saturday with Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, head of the military council, to discuss the crisis over his government and ways to contain it.

The source said Tantawi did not mention any dismissal or reshuffle to Ganzouri, and People's Assembly Speaker Saad al-Katatny was not present at the meeting.

Earlier, Katatny had said the Ganzouri cabinet would be dismissed within a few hours, according to a phone call Katatny said he received from a member of the ruling military council.

Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, the head Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, made the decision, according to the SCAF member on the phone.

Ganzouri would be tasked with forming a new caretaker government and reshuffling the cabinet to replace ministers who have recently quarreled with Parliament, according to Katatny's account of the phone call.

Katatny's comments came during a meeting with his deputies who opposed his earlier decision to suspend parliamentary sessions until 6 May in protest of Ganzouri's government.

Katatny also said the council member told him the SCAF would issue a statement praising Parliament's performance.

Al-Masry Al-Youm had also been informed by its own sources that the military council will dismiss the government and change four ministers.

The standoff between Parliament and the cabinet has been ongoing for weeks, with the parliamentary Islamist majority repeatedly calling for the government to resign given its poor performance, especially in with regard to the economy and security.

However, the Constitutional Declaration designed by the SCAF and passed in March of last year does not give Parliament the authority to sack the government, which has been a matter of contention for Islamists who sense they took over a disempowered legislature.

Earlier today, Katatny vowed to suspend parliamentary sessions until next Sunday to prompt the government to resign, a move rejected by many MPs.

Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm

Tags: Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, caretaker government, government source, Kamal al-Ganzouri

People’s Assembly Speaker Saad al-Katatny on Sunday announced the names of the 100 members of the constituent assembly elected by Parliament to write Egypt’s new constitution.

Half of the members of the constitution-writing assembly have been elected from Parliament’s upper and lower houses and the remaining half from outside it.

Katatny made the announcement following a joint meeting of members of Parliament at the International Conference Center in Nasr City, Cairo.

Mostafa Bakry, who supervised the vote-counting process, said the election was conducted in a quiet atmosphere and was characterized by integrity.

The most notable winners from inside Parliament include:

Saad al-Katatny, the People’s Assembly speaker

Mahmoud al-Khodairy, head of the People’s Assembly Constitutional and Legislative Affairs Committee

Mohamed Abdel Alim Dawoud and Ashraf Thabet, the People’s Assembly deputy speakers

Essam Sultan, head of the Wasat Party

Hussein Mohamed Ibrahim, majority bloc leader

Amr al-Shobaky, an independent MP

Essam al-Erian, prominent member of the Freedom and Justice Party

Waheed Abdel Maguid, leader of the Democratic Alliance led by the Muslim Brotherhood

Amr Hamzawy, an independent MP

Members elected to the assembly from outside Parliament include:

Nasr Farid Wassel, former grand mufti

Mohamed Emara, Islamic thinker

Hossam al-Gheriany, head of the Supreme Judicial Council

Farouk Gouida, a poet

Sameh Ashour, Lawyers Syndicate chief

Moataz Abdel Fattah, a political science professor

Nader Bakkar, spokesperson for the Salafi Nour Party

Abdel Hady al-Qassaby, head of the Supreme Council of Sufi Orders

Mamdouh al-Waly, head of the Journalists Syndicate

Ashraf Abdel Ghafour, an artist

Ahmed Harara, a political activist

“This is a historic day for Egypt. We have taken the first step on the road to writing the constitution,” Katatny said. “Since the first day, we have pledged not to be biased to a certain opinion. We will not accept giving up on democracy and popular participation.”

He said the constituent assembly’s first meeting will be held on 28 March at 10 am at the People’s Assembly.

Parliament members from the Free Egyptians Party, the Revolution Continues Coalition and the Egyptian Social Democratic Party abandoned talks Saturday about the selection of the 100 members of the constituent assembly that will draft a new constitution. Liberal and secular powers had generally expressed fears that Parliament’s Islamist majority would dominate the assembly.

Meanwhile, dozens of demonstrators, including several high-profile figures, protested Saturday against the composition of the assembly. Protesters demanded an assembly representative of all segments of society.

Translated from Al-Masry Al-Youm

Tags: new constitution, Nasr Farid Wassel, Parliament members

Archive for the People’s Assembly speaker

Update: Military council will not dismiss cabinet, says government source

Parliament names members of constitution-writing assembly