Chief Justice Mansour sworn in as Egypt: interim president

The Chief Justice of Egypt’s Supreme Constitutional Court Adly Mansour was sworn in Thursday as the nation’s interim president, taking over hours after the military ousted the Islamist President Mohammed Morsi.

Adly Mansour took the oath of office at the Nile-side Constitutional Court in a ceremony broadcast live on state television. According to military decree, Mansour will serve as Egypt’s interim leader until a new president is elected. A date for that vote has yet to be set.

Dressed in a dark blue suit and blue tie, Mansour used his first remarks as interim leader to praise the massive street demonstrations that led to Morsi’s ouster. He also hailed the youth behind the protests that began on June 30.

 “The most glorious thing about June 30 is that it brought together everyone without discrimination or division,” he said. “I offer my greetings to the revolutionary people of Egypt.”

“I look forward to parliamentary and presidential elections held with the genuine and authentic will of the people,” Mansour said. “The youth had the initiative and the noblest thing about this glorious event is that it was an expression of the nation’s conscience and an embodiment of its hopes and ambitions. It was never a movement seeking to realize special demands or personal interests.”