Egypt's Salafist Al-Nour Party rejects appointment of ElBaradei as interim PM

Egypt's Salafist Al-Nour Party on Saturday rejected the appointment of Mohamed ElBaradei, leader of the opposition bloc, the National Salvation Front, as the country' s interim prime minister, official news agency MENA reported. The move will deepen the state's "polarization," Al-Nour's deputy leader Bassam el-Zarqa was quoted as saying. Meanwhile, the Freedom and Justice Party, the political wing of the Muslim Brotherhood, from which ousted President Mohamed Morsi hails, also rejected the nomination, the state-run Ahram online reported. ElBaradei was officially appointed as the country's interim prime minister earlier on Saturday and was assigned to form a transitional government. He has reportedly resigned as chairman of the Al-Dostour Party on the same day. The post of prime minister has been vacant since the removal of Morsi on Wednesday along with his government led by former Prime Minister Hesham Qandil. Morsi's deposition, forced by the army, came as a response to millions of protesters who demanded his ouster due to his "poor performance and maladministration." According to a presidential source who earlier spoke to Ahram online, ElBaradei "will be sworn in shortly."