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Egypt's Entire Gov't Resigned on Live TV

by Nuzha Nuseibeh

While the media's eye has been focused on the violence in Ukraine, another revolution-rife country has continued to simmer, and today, it's reached extremes. Coming amid widespread strikes across the country, the Egypt government resigned all at once on live TV Monday morning, giving no clear reason for the surprise move, and leaving the country more unsettled than ever.

The live, televised statement was made by interim Egyptian Prime Minister Hazem el-Beblawi Monday."Today the cabinet took a decision to offer its resignation to the president of the republic," Beblawi said."The cabinet has over the past six or seven months shouldered a very difficult responsibility... in most cases the results were good," he added, but gave no explanation for his cabinet's decision.

The move comes as Egypt continues to struggle with its post-ouster instability. Across the nation, garbage collectors and public transport workers have been on strike for days, while journalist detentions continue to make headlines and cooking gas reportedly runs low.

It's not clear yet what this will mean for the country. Reports are suggesting that Beblawi, who was appointed back in July after President Mohammed Morsi's ouster, will stay on as prime minister until a replacement is found. Presidential elections are still expected to be held in April, with the most likely contender being army chief Fattah al-Sisi — who, it just so happens, needs to resign from his post as defense minister before he can run. In fact, there's some speculation he may have been the driving force behind the cabinet's abrupt decision to leave.

"This was done as a step that was needed ahead of Sisi's announcement that he will run for president," said one Egyptian official to Reuters.

Either way, as another country institutes its own interim government, you can bet that Egypt's next moves will be closely watched.