Egypt’s ruling military pledged on Monday to hand power to the coming president by the end of June, saying the winner of this weekend’s poll would enjoy full presidential powers.

Egypt’s ruling military pledged on Monday to hand power to the coming president by the end of June, saying the winner of this weekend’s poll would enjoy full presidential powers.

The military council will transfer power to the new president, who will swear his oath before the constitutional court, by "June 30, this month," one of the ruling generals, Mamduh Shahin, said at a news conference.

Shahin and fellow ruling council member General Mohammed al-Assar had called the press conference to respond to criticisms after the military dissolved parliament and took over legislative power with a new interim constitution.

"The elected president of the republic will be vested with all the powers given to the president," Assar said, amid a furor from activists and the powerful Muslim Brotherhood over what they describe as a military coup.
The generals said the military has taken only "restricted legislative powers" to create a balance with the president, after a court last week ordered parliament dissolved.

"The military council will study law proposals by the government," said Shahin, adding the president would pick the cabinet.

"It will then raise them to the president. Neither the council nor the president can (alone) pass a law," he said, adding the arrangement would continue until a new parliament is elected, perhaps by the end of the year.
"No government branch can assume two powers," he said. "The idea is to create a balance."