Egyptian parliament suspends sessions in protest over cabinet

CAIRO ? Egyptian lawmakers announced Sunday that they would suspend parliament sessions for a week to protest the military rulers? failure to allow the elected body to appoint a new civilian cabinet.

The step marked a sharp escalation of tension between the country?s new Islamist-dominated parliament and the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, whose relationship has worsened as Egypt?s landmark presidential election nears.

The disagreement is part of a broader fight to define the country?s new power structure after decades of authoritarian rule that ended with last year's popular uprising that ousted Hosni Mubarak. Besides gearing up for a landmark presidential vote scheduled for May 23, Egyptian leaders are wrangling over the drafting of a new constitution.

At stake as the fight drags on is a flurry of urgent policy decisions that have been put on hold, including the negotiation of a loan from the International Monetary Fund to supplement Egypt?s fast-dwindling foreign reserves.

Mohammad Saad el-Katany, the speaker of parliament, said after the decision was announced that the ruling generals were contemplating a cabinet reshuffle in response to concerns raised by lawmakers in recent months, according to the state-run news agency. El-Katany, a member of the Muslim Brotherhood, is among the country?s new lawmakers who want Islamist parties to have a more influential role right away in the cabinet.

An unnamed senior official was quoted Sunday on the Web site of the state-run newspaper al-Ahram as saying that the cabinet shake-up would be ?limited.?

A version of the bureaucratic infighting is playing out in the streets. Saturday night, protesters outside the Ministry of Defense clashed for hours with people supporting the troops, according to witnesses. The confrontation left more than 150 people wounded and at least one person dead, the Health Ministry said Sunday.

Special correspondent Ingy Hassieb contributed to this report.

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