20111128
Reuters
(Reuters) - Any parliamentary majority that emerges from Egyptian legislative elections may move to install a new government, Egypt's new prime minister-designate Kamal Ganzouri said on Sunday.

The comments appeared at odds with remarks by a member of the ruling military council who said on Saturday the new parliament, to be elected in a vote that begins on Monday, would not be able to dismiss the government or pick new ministers.

Ganzouri was appointed by the military council on Friday to head a government to replace the cabinet of Essam Sharaf, which resigned last week in the face of mass protests against army rule.

In an interview on Egypt's Dream TV broadcast on Sunday, Ganzouri said improving security and the economy were his priorities. He urged calm in the street so he could make progress.

Speaking about how long he had to make an impact, the 78-year old said: "It should be until July 1, until the appointment of the president of the republic. But some people say: 'no if there are elections, it might bring a majority that will form a new government'. This is all possible," he said.

The ruling military council, facing protester demands that it immediately hand power to civilians, last week said a new president would be elected by the end of June, accelerating the timetable it had previously set for handing over power.

The council took power from President Hosni Mubarak in February, when he was swept from power by mass protests. The council currently exercises the powers of the Egyptian president, who appoints the prime minister.

On Saturday, military council member General Mamdouh Shaheen had said that under an interim constitution the new parliament would "not have the powers to withdraw confidence from the current government being formed nor can it dismiss it or choose future members of government".

However, observers say it a newly-elected parliament would have the popular legitimacy to challenge that if it chose to.