Cairo: Egypt`s president-elect Mohammed Mursi is considering picking a non-Islamist as his prime minister as he cobbles up a government inclusive of all voices and sections, with activist Mohamed ElBaradei and a leftist leader among the possible contenders.
Days after being declared the country`s first democratically elected president, Mursi intensified efforts to field his government that will take over from the cabinet of Kamal El-Ganzouri.
However, the leader who has been thrust with the responsibility of anchoring the country`s first civilian government after a revolution is walking a tightrope to please all sections of the Egyptian society while negotiating with the military over how much power the civilian administration will wield.
Negotiations were also on on who will be picked up for the vice presidential positions, with Mursi having stated already that he will appoint three vice presidents from a range of backgrounds -- with one either a woman, a Christian or a former presidential candidate.
Al Ahram quoted reports in the Egyptian daily Al-Shorouk that the future government will be led by a politician who is not a member of the Muslim Brotherhood, with Nobel Laureate ElBaradei and Egyptian Social Democratic Party leader Ziyad Bahaaeddin, being the possible contenders.
With a year of unrest having thrown the country`s economy into doldrums, Mursi also wants to pick up technocrats as his cabinet members.
The protests that started in January last year, and still erupt in pockets, dented the country`s huge tourist market and drove away foreign investors. The economy contracted by 4.3 per cent in the first quarter of 2011 and stagnated in the following three quarters.
Some reports in the Egyptian media have said recently the Supreme Council of Armed Forces (SCAF) may hold the important ministries of interior, foreign affairs, and defence.
PTI
