The Egyptian opposition announced today that it has appointed Mohamed ElBaradei, the former head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), to be its representative in the preparation of the political transition.
The new "June 30 Front", which brings together the main parties and Islamist movements hostile to President Mohamed Morsi, said ElBaradei would be his "voice".
The Front "entrusts ElBaradei with the responsibility for ensuring the realization of the demands of the Egyptian people and for implementing the (opposition's) plan for political transition."
The Front is called "June 30" because on Sunday, June 30, mass demonstrations were organized with a demand for the resignation of President Morsi, whom the opposition accuses of betraying democratic ideals from the time of the uprising against President Hosni Mubarak in early 2011.
Mohamed ElBaradei, winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2005 for his work at the IAEA, returned to Egypt in 2010 and opposed the Mubarak regime.
He actively supported the uprising against Mubarak in January and February 2011, and was a leading figure in the secular and liberal movement that is now demanding the departure of President Morsi and the holding of early presidential elections.
On Monday afternoon, the Egyptian army issued a 48-hour ultimatum to President Morsi to accept the protesters' demands or the army would intervene, and today the US asked him to "listen" to the demands of the people.
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