After ten sessions of debate, a parliamentary majority voted to reject the Cabinet’s plan for managing the duration of the transition and decided to continue procedures for withdrawing confidence from the Prime Minister Kamal al-Ganzouri’s government.

PROTESTS:

 1) The Muslim Brotherhood’s Freedom and Justice party (FJP) is calling for mass demonstrations in Tahrir Square every Friday until the presidential election is held and the SCAF relinquishes power. The FJP also plans to organize sit-ins if the SCAF attempts to postpone the elections. Thirteen other political groups including April 6 have announced their participation in a protest this Friday, April 27. [al-Masry al-Youm, English, 4/25/2012] [al-Youm al-Saba’a, Arabic, 4/25/2012]

ELECTIONS:

 2) Political forces have reportedly reached an agreement brokered by Brotherhood Deputy leader Khairat al-Shater to support the drafting of the constitution after the presidential election. [al-Youm al-Saba’a, Arabic, 4/25/2012]

 3) Former Vice President and presidential candidate Ahmed Shafiq has sent a letter to the SCAF appealing the decision of the Supreme Presidential Electoral Commission disqualifying him from the presidential race. The SPEC disqualified Shafiq after the SCAF approved a disenfranchisement law passed by Parliament to barring top officials in Mubarak’s government from running for public office. [al-Masry al-Youm, English, 4/25/2012]

 4) The Salafi movement is increasingly divided over which presidential candidate to support. On April 25, one Salafi group, the Salafi Legitimate Authority for Rights and Reform, announced its support for Mohamed Morsi, the Brotherhood’s candidate, triggering a backlash from members of the group who favor rival Islamist Abdel Moneim Aboul Fotouh. Both Morsi and Fotouh have met with leaders of the influential Salafi Dawa group in Alexandria this week. [al-Masry al-Youm, English, 4/25/2012]

PARLIAMENT:

5) After ten sessions of debate, a parliamentary majority voted to reject the Cabinet’s plan for managing the duration of the transition and decided to continue procedures for withdrawing confidence from the Prime Minister Kamal al-Ganzouri’s government. [al-Masry al-Youm, English, 4/25/2012]

ECONOMY:

6) The decision to terminate Egypt’s natural gas exports to Israel was not simply due to commercial differences, international shareholders in the consortium involved said on April 25. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has tried to play down termination of the 2005 deal, saying cancellation of the contract supplying Israel with 40 percent of its gas needs resulted from a business rather than diplomatic dispute. [al-Masry al-Youm, English, 4/25/2012]

7) Parliament’s rejection of the Cabinet’s economic program outlined in February has raised concerns that negotiations over an IMF loan could be delayed or stalled. People’s Assembly Budget and Planning Committee member Ashraf Badr Eddin said the withdrawal of confidence in the cabinet would negatively affect the ongoing loan negotiations with the IMF.  Eddin added that parliament’s approval of the loan depends on its approval of the economic reform plan, how the loan will be spent, and whether or not the funds would go to investment projects. [al-Masry al-Youm, English, 4/25/2012]

Photo Credit: AP

Image: egypt2012-0837_0.jpg