Egypt’s ruling military council has confirmed that it plans to hand over power to the newly elected president by the end of the month.
The winner of the presidential runoff held this weekend will be officially announced on June 21.
However, the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) had earlier on June 18 granted itself sweeping powers over legislation and the introduction of a new constitution, in a move condemned by Egyptian politicians as a "coup."
In Pictures: Egypt's Election (By VOA)
In Pictures: Egypt's Election (By VOA)
The council has also given itself control over the state budget and granted itself veto power on a new constitution to be written by a panel that it will pick.
Egyptian media swiftly condemned the move saying it will leave the new president with no power.
"The military hands over power to military," read the headline of the independent daily Al-Masry al-Youm.
The Pentagon on June 18 said it was "deeply concerned" about the military's move, while the EU said in a statement that "the democratic transition must not be put in question."
Pentagon spokesman George Little told reporters that the United States expected the ruling military to hand over "full power" to a democratically elected civilian government "as the SCAF has previously announced."
The spokesman said the U.S. "will continue to urge the SCAF to relinquish power to civilian-elected authorities."
Victory Disputed
The runoff was held between the Muslim Brotherhood candidate Muhammad Morsi and Ahmad Shafiq the last prime minister of the ousted leader Hosni Mubarak.
The runoff was held between the Muslim Brotherhood candidate Muhammad Morsi and Ahmad Shafiq the last prime minister of the ousted leader Hosni Mubarak.
The Muslim Brotherhood claimed unofficial results showed its candidate Morsi had defeated Shafiq.
A leading member of the Muslim Brotherhood Essam al-Arian said that democratic changes will continue in Egypt.
"Everyone should be assured that we have started the democratic change. This will continue. We will build the institutions of this country and we will get back the institutions that have been taken away by the military council," al-Arian said.
"Everyone should be assured that we have started the democratic change. This will continue. We will build the institutions of this country and we will get back the institutions that have been taken away by the military council," al-Arian said.
However, Shafiq supporters disputed the Muslim Brotherhood's victory claim.
Ahmed Sarhan, a spoeksman for Shafiq's campaign, told journalists in Cairo that a complaint will be filed on June 19 against the Muslim Brotherhood's move.
"[Ahmed Shafiq's] campaign announces that tomorrow, in accordance with the law, it will go ahead and, after the counting is done, file a complaint to the higher election commission, affirming that we have the basic right to have the results announced by the other candidate canceled," Sarhan said.
"This is in order to assure the transparency of the voting process and prevent the forging of the voters' will."
"[Ahmed Shafiq's] campaign announces that tomorrow, in accordance with the law, it will go ahead and, after the counting is done, file a complaint to the higher election commission, affirming that we have the basic right to have the results announced by the other candidate canceled," Sarhan said.
"This is in order to assure the transparency of the voting process and prevent the forging of the voters' will."
State media, however, reported that initial vote counts showed Morsi was ahead.