Egypt’s cabinet submits resignation to Sisi

Egypt’s cabinet submitted its resignation to President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi yesterday, only two days after Al-Sisi was officially sworn in as the head of state for a second term until 2022, according to presidential spokesperson, Bassam Rady.

The government, headed by Prime Minister Sherif Ismail, will stay on in a caretaker capacity until the new one is appointed.

The cabinet replacement is routine and stipulated by the 2014 Egyptian constitution, which requires the president to assign a prime minister to form the government and then be introduced into the House of Representatives. If the government does not win the confidence of the majority of the members of the House of Representatives, Al-Sisi has the ability to dissolve the House and call for new representatives to be elected.

The announcement came as Al-Sisi addressed the nation in a televised statement, claiming that after next week’s Eid holiday, Egypt would see “a number of great achievements that will be inaugurated”. He did not specify what achievement he was referring to.

“I have great hope that in two years, you will see Egypt in a different place,” he concluded.

Read: Egypt bans state minister from dissolving NGOs

Al-Sisi won a second term in office in a March election that featured only one other candidate – himself an ardent Al-Sisi supporter – after all serious opposition contenders halted their campaigns citing intimidation and several arrests.

Egyptian authorities have since detained prominent opposition leaders, the latest development in what rights groups say is a campaign to silence government critics. Last month, Egyptian authorities arrested award-winning blogger and journalist Wael Abbas accusing him of involvement with an illegal organisation and publishing false news.

Human rights groups and NGOs have condemned Egypt’s deteriorating human and civil rights record under Al-Sisi, but his supporters say his tough security policy is needed to ensure stability as Egypt recovers from years of political chaos and tackles widespread economic challenges.

Despite significant financial pressures and cuts to state expenditures, in the aftermath of the election, Al-Sisi approved a law that would allow an increase in the salaries of senior state officials. The move adjusted the pay of the parliament speaker, the prime minister and some governors, deputies and civil servants.

Read: Egypt detains prominent opposition leader, former Sisi supporter