Egypt to hold presidential vote in mid-June

Xinhua, January 16, 2012

Egypt will start presidential nominations in mid-April and hold the vote in mid-June, the official MENA news agency reported on Sunday.

Major General Mohsen el-Fangari, member of the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, was quoted as saying that the fate of Prime Minister Kamal el-Ganzouri's government will be decided by the new president and the elected parliament.

The current regime is presidential and forming a government is the right of the president, unless some constitutional amendments give the parliament this right, said Fangari.

Egypt's military rulers have pledged to transfer power before June 30. So far, the three-stage vote for the People's Assembly (lower house of parliament) has been almost completed. The Shura Council (upper house of parliament) vote will begin on January 29 and end on February 22.