Interim Leader Takes Over in Egypt

With Mohamed Morsi under house arrest, Egypt has a new leader, at least for now: Adli Mansour, the boss of the country's constitutional court. He was appointed chief justice just four days ago and was sworn in this morning for that job, the BBC notes; afterward, he was sworn in as the country's interim leader. Mansour says it is time to "stop our industry of making tyrants" and end "worship of the ruler," calling for new elections for a "brighter future." He called on Egyptians to continue protesting as he saluted the military, to applause, calling it "the conscience of the nation and the guarantor of its security and safety."

So what can we expect from Mansour? His court predecessor isn't sure: "I can't attest to whether or not he will be up to the responsibility," Maher El Beheiry tells the Wall Street Journal. But the head of a judges' organization, Abdullah Fathi, calls Mansour "a pillar of the judiciary" who is "known in judicial circles for his integrity and his impartiality." Fathi says Mansour helped make key rulings against Hosni Mubarak and Morsi—who appointed him. Mansour "will run the country with the conscience of a judge," Fathi says. (More Egypt stories.)