The Revolution Youth Coalition held a press conference today to give its response to Prime Minister Essam Sharaf’s Monday night speech.

The coalition rejected Sharaf’s words, issuing a statement of its own calling for the Prime Minister’s resignation and asking him to return to Tahrir Square to join the revolutionaries.

The statement called for a new national unity government with a prime minister chosen by a consensus of political forces and parties, especially those represented on Tahrir Square. 

Despite paying tribute to Sharaf’s integrity, the coalition strongly criticised the PM, calling him an obstacle to the revolution. The coalition also attacked the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) and its decisions, and described the national dialogue and national consensus meetings as "comic theatre."

The statement accused the ruling military council of denying Sharaf the opportunity to apply his reforms and policies. 

The coalition listed four demands in its statement: a full delineation of the powers and prerogatives of the SCAF and those of the cabinet; administrative participation in the current transitional period; the adoption of economic policies favouring Egypt’s 40 million living under the poverty line; and a complete purging of remnants of the Mubarak regime from all state bodies.

The Revolution Youth Coalition said that after finishing the press conference they would start negotiations with other political forces such as the National Association of Change, the National Council and groups on Tahrir Square with the aim of agreeing on a national unity cabinet and a new prime minister.

Ahram Online asked coalition representatives about a Monday news report that suggested potential presidential candidate Mohamed ElBaradei was a popular choice to become head of a new unity cabinet.

Coalition member Nasser Abdel Hamid answered that ElBaradei was one of the 8 names mentioned for the post, and the only presidential candidate among them.

Abdel Hamid said no statement would be made about a choice of prime minister until all the political forces reached an agreement.

He added that ElBaradei had said he was ready to give up the presidential race if he became prime minister.