The new Egyptian government will be sworn into office on Tuesday, cabinet spokesperson Hossam Kaweesh has said. Tourism Minister Hisham Zaazou, Petroleum Minister Sherif Ismail and Civil Aviation Minister Hossam Kamal will retain their jobs in the new cabinet, Kaweesh added in comments reported by Al-Ahram Arabic news website. Prime Minister Ibrahim Mahlab tendered his cabinet's resignation to new President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi last week. El-Sisi, however, reappointed Mahlab minutes later, requesting he form, and head, a new caretaker government. The prime minister had earlier said he would quit his post – which he had held for less than four months – once the new president was sworn in. Mahlab was appointed in February, following the resignation of Hazem El-Beblawi, a liberal economist who was appointed under a transitional roadmap following the army's ouster of Islamist president Mohamed Morsi amid massive protests. The new cabinet will also act as a caretaker government with powers to issue legislation in the absence of a parliament that, under the 2014 constitution, must endorse a president's choice for prime minister. According to the constitution, a parliamentary majority has to approve a president's choice for prime minister within 30 days of his appointment. If a chosen premier and his cabinet fail to secure the votes of a majority of MPs, other candidates will be fielded by the party or coalition that secures the largest parliamentary bloc. If the second nominated premier and cabinet are not approved by parliament within 30 days, the parliament is deemed dissolved and the president calls new elections. http://english.ahram.org.eg/News/103856.aspx
