Egypt Protests Lead To Military Promise To Reshuffle Cabinet

Egypt’s parlaiment to took to the streets over a failure by Egypt’s ruling military council to dismiss the current government. Newser reports that the council is finally heeding the call, as it promised on Sunday to reshuffle the Cabinet. The Islamist-dominated parliament suspended sessions in order to protest the Cabinet.

While the promise, which states the council will make the change within 48 hours, falls short of parliament’s demand, Speaker Saad el-Katatni stated that the concession restored “dignity” to the members of the 3-month old parliament.

Before adjourning the People’s Assembly until May 6, el-Katatni stated:

“It is my responsibility as speaker of the People’s Assembly (parliament) to safeguard the chamber’s dignity and that of its members. There must be a solution to this crisis.”

El-Katatni, a Muslim Brotherhood member, which more than half of the People’s Assembly belongs to, has been demanding that they be allowed to form their own Cabinet to replace the current one, which the military appointed.

The military council has so far resisted their efforts, even hinting that they do not want the Brotherhood to control the country.

Protests spilled out into the streets, where a protester was killed outside the Ministry of Defense late Saturday night. The protesters clashed for three hours with other assailants, who support the military. The two groups threw rocks, firebombs, and glass bottles at each other.

The Cabinet is currently headed by Prime Minister Kamal el-Canzouri, who remains from when authoritarian leader Hosni Mubarak was in power, before being ousted 14 months ago in an uprising. Egypt’s top reform leader Mohamed ElBaradei, wrote on Twitter that:

“Crushing peaceful demonstrations, whether we agree with them or not, is a continuation of a regime that has not been removed yet. Will we this time see those involved in violence brought to account whether they from inside or outside the regime?”