Egyptian president-elect Mohamed Morsi will be sworn in Saturday, marking a new chapter in the history of a country that elected its first civilian president.Morsi will take the oath of office before Egypt's Constitutional Court afternoon.
His inauguration comes a day after he spoke to tens of thousands of his supporters who filled Cairo's Tahrir Square to protest the country's ruling military council. He saluted Egyptians across the country and abroad, saying the blood of revolutionaries killed and wounded in the uprising cleared the way to freedom. He also said he cherishes the great honor given to him by the Egyptian people.
Morsi had vowed to assume the presidency before parliament. But the military council said he would take the oath in front of the Constitutional Court because of the recent dissolution of the lower house of parliament, which was dominated by the Muslim Brotherhood.
Some observers say the disagreement could be the first phase of a prolonged power struggle between the Brotherhood and the military.
Morsi ran for president as a candidate of the Muslim Brotherhood before resigning from the group after being declared president-elect. He voiced his desire Friday to form an inclusive government, reaching out to Muslims, Christians and women.
Egypt's ruling generals have said they will transfer power to the president by July 1. However, many Egyptians erupted in anger and frustration when military leaders gave themselves sweeping powers that undercut the president's authority, just days before Mr. Morsi was declared the presidential election winner on June 24.
The Brotherhood has rejected the military's actions.
Earlier this week, Mr. Morsi moved into the offices of the presidential palace, occupied by former president Hosni Mubarak until a popular uprising toppled him last year.