Legal steps to shape new Cabinet’s destiny

CAIRO – 11 June 2018: After President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi ordered Premier-designate, former Minister of Housing, Mostafa Madbouly to form a new government, Madbouly has to follow some constitutional procedures before announcing the new Cabinet.

The new Cabinet will succeed that of Sherif Ismail, who resigned on June 5.



According to the constitution, Madbouly has to make a statement before the Parliament, revealing the names of the ministers, and the Cabinet’s program. The Parliament will subsequently discuss Madbouly’s statement, according to law.

The Parliament then will assign a special committee with issuing a report on Madbouly’s statement. The report will be consequently reviewed by the Parliament in a plenary session.

Parliament’s approval

In order for the new cabinet to gain the Parliament’s trust, the majority (around 300) of the Parliament members have to vote in favor of it. The pro-government “Egypt Support” parliamentary coalition holds around 400 of 597 seats in Parliament.

The prime minister and ministries will then take the oath before President Sisi ahead of taking their posts.

However, sources revealed to state-owned Al-Ahram Daily that no prior consultations would take place with the Parliament concerning choosing ministers. Instead, Parliament would vote on the new ministers following the approval of Sisi.

According to the sources, the final list of ministers is expected to be submitted for approval by President Sisi on Monday.

Parliament’s rejection

If the new Cabinet does not gain the trust of the majority of Parliament members, President Sisi would then order a new prime minister nominated by the coalition or the party that holds the majority of seats in the Parliament, to choose new ministries, according to the constitution.

If his new Cabinet is not approved by the Parliament within 30 days, the Parliament will be declared dissolved. President Sisi will then call for a parliamentary election within two months. The new prime minister will then review the ministers’ names and Cabinet’s program before the new Parliament holds its first session.

Once the new Parliament’s majority bloc approves the new Cabinet, the president will choose, in cooperation with the PM, the ministers of defense, interior, foreign affairs and justice.

Is the Cabinet expected to be approved?

The current Parliament has approved almost all presidential decrees and governmental decisions. In late May, the Parliament endorsed 32 international agreements signed by the president or the prime minister, since the start of its third regular session on October 3, 2017.



In January, 2018, the parliament has approved a reshuffle of the cabinet that affected four ministries: Culture, Tourism, Local Development and Public Enterprise.

On Thursday, three days following Ismail’s resignation, Sisi appointed Minister of Housing and Urban Utilities Moustafa Madbouly as the new prime minister.

Madbouly assumed the position earlier during the absence of the then-PM Ismail, who was on a one-month medical treatment in Germany.


President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi during a meeting with Health Minister Ahmad Emad el-Dein, and acting Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, January 4, 2018 – Press photo


According to media outlets on Saturday, the new reshuffle, ordered by President Sisi, will see the dropping of eight ministers, including Minister of Antiquities Khaled al-Anany, Minister of Manpower Mohamed Saafan, Minister of Irrigation Mohamed Abdel Aaty, Minister of Health Ahmed Emaddin, Minister of Agriculture Abdel Moniem al-Banna, and Minister of Higher Education Khaled Abdel Ghaffar.

Meanwhile, many names are likely to be re-appointed such as Minister of Trade and Industry Tarek Kabil, Minister of Petroleum Tarek al-Molla, Minister of Communications Yasser al-Qady, Minister of Immigration and Egyptian Expatriates' Affairs Nabila Makram, Minister of Education and Technical Education Tarek Shawky, Minister of Social Solidarity Ghada Wali, Minister of Electricity Mohamed Shaker, and Minister of Investment Sahar Nasr.

The ministers are likely to stay for what they have achieved while in office. The inducted ministers will take oath at the end of this week or after the four-day holiday of Eid El Fitr (June 15-18).

Ismail is also nominated to be appointed as top aide to Sisi.

The president expressed Monday thanks and appreciation to Ismail on behalf of all Egyptians for the efforts carried out through the past years, saying that the Cabinet reshuffle aimed “to give change a chance.”

“I am used to talking to you with complete honesty,” Sisi stated. He revealed that the Cabinet was reshuffled as to give change a chance. He said that a celebration will be held to honor the former Cabinet, as they have endured “one of Egypt's cruelest times in modern history.”

Who is Madbouly?

Madbouly, 52, has preserved his position as minister of housing and urban utilities since 2014. He served with two following prime ministers, including Ibrahim Mahlab until September 2015 and with Ismail from September 2015 until June 5, 2018.

The newly-named PM held several positions before joining the government, including being the regional director for Arab countries at the United Nations Human Settlements Program -Habitat- from November 2012 until February 2014.



From September 2009 until November 2011, Madbouly was the chairman of the General Authority for Urban Planning at the Ministry of Housing, Utilities and Urban Development; he also was the executive director of the Training and Urban Studies Institute at the Housing and Construction Research Center at the Ministry of Housing.

Madbouly got his masters and PhD from Faculty of Engineering, Cairo University, in 1988 and 1997, respectively. During his tenure as housing minister, Madbouly succeeded to implement several national projects of social housing to help eliminate the slums in Egypt.

Additional reporting by Amr Mohamed Kandil