Mehleb expected to keep at least 14 ministers from Beblawi’s Cabinet

At least 14 ministers are expected to survive the government’s mass resignation and stay on with newly appointed Prime Minister Ibrahim Mehleb, who appointed 13 new faces to his Cabinet, according to news reports.

Four ministries still remain vacant, including the Defense Ministry, though state media reports expect current Defense Minister Field Marshal Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to stay in place. The ministries of health, environment and transport are also currently without a leader.

The controversial Interior Minister Mohamed Ibrahim will remain in his post.

New members of Mehleb’s Cabinet include the ministers of manpower, social solidarity, civil aviation, higher education, justice, electricity and housing, according to the privately owned newspaper Al-Shorouk.

On Monday, former Prime Minister Hazem al-Beblawi’s government submitted its resignation to interim President Adly Mansour, Beblawi announced in a press conference after a brief meeting.

Outgoing Housing Minister Mehleb, who had been one of the more inconspicuous characters in the interim government, was tasked with forming the new Cabinet.

Mehleb himself is a former member of the National Democratic Party’s policies committee.

Ten ministries were also merged to become five in the Cabinet shakeup, including the ministries of planning and international cooperation, higher education and scientific research, youth and sports, local and administrative development and trade and investment.

Mehleb reportedly met with Hany Kadry Dimian to take on the finance ministry. Dimian was a key negotiator with the International Monetary Fund and resigned as first deputy finance minister last year.

The privately owned newspaper Al-Masry Al-Youm also reported on Thursday that Mehleb met with prominent actor, writer and theater director Mohamed Sobhi to potentially lead the Culture Ministry.

Sobhi stated later on Thursday that he declined the position for personal reasons, and that this was the fourth time he was offered the post, reported the state-owned news site EgyNews.

Mehleb also met with General Egyptian Book Organization head Ahmed Megahed and National Organization for Urban Harmony head Samir Gharib to discuss the position.