Cairo - The head of Egypt's Constitutional Court, Adli Mansour, was sworn in as interim president on Thursday, a day after the army ousted Mohamed Morsi as head of state.
Speaking at the Constitutional Court in Cairo, Mansour said he planned to hold new elections, but did not specify when.
“I swear to preserve the system of the republic, and respect the constitution and law, and guard the people's interests,” Mansour said as he took the oath of office at a ceremony in the Supreme Constitutional Court.
Officials welcomed the declaration with a warm round of applause.
The swearing-in ceremony, which was broadcast live on national television, came after the military swept aside Morsi on Wednesday, a little more than a year after the Islamist leader took office.
A senior military officer told reporters that the army was now “preventively” holding Morsi.
The ousted president's government unravelled after the army gave him a 48-hour ultimatum in the wake of massive demonstrations against him on June 30, the anniversary of his first turbulent year in power. - Reuters and Sapa-AFP