The Salafi Nour Party said that it is a national necessity that Prime Minister Kamal al-Ganzouri step down in order to safeguard the interest of the country, improve the ailing economy and alleviate the security vacuum. “There have been discussions between the Freedom and Justice Party and the Nour Party about forming a coalition government,” party spokesperson Ahmed Khalil told Al-Masry Al-Youm on Thursday. Khalil said that in a coalition government formed with the FJP, the service portfolios, such as the health, education and religious endowments ministries would be assigned to the Nour Party. “We are not interested in the key ministries, although we can manage them,” he said. “But we know the problems people suffer from, and we can service them.” FJP deputy head Khairat al-Shater, told Al-Jazeera last week that the FJP is ready to form a coalition government consisting of all political forces in Parliament but “the people in power [the SCAF] refused the proposal.” The formation of the government, or the cabinet of ministers, is the responsibility of the executive branch under Egyptian law, meaning that the SCAF is the only authority in the country capable of forming a government. The FJP threatened to withdraw confidence from Ganzouri's government if the situation further deteriorates before the handover of power. “Parliament can pass a vote of no confidence,” said Ahmed Abdel Rahman, an FJP MP. Last Friday, a military source told Al-Masry Al-Youm that Ganzouri will continue to lead the government until the transfer of power takes place at the end of June. Translated from Al-Masry Al-Youm
