Exit strategy: Mubarak might give up powers but remain as figurehead

Egypt’s Vice President Omar Suleiman, pressured by a massive turnout by protesters Friday, began to feel for a fresh way out of the crisis, exploring a transition of power in which Hosni Mubarak would give up executive powers but remain a figurehead president until elections are held, according to U.S. officials and Egyptians familiar with the discussions.

If the discussions bear fruit, executive powers in the new government could be gradually transferred to Mr. Suleiman, the country’s longtime intelligence chief, and a transition government that includes opposition figures, these people say…

Mr. Suleiman has reached out to a group of Egyptian intellectuals to dicuss on Saturday how Mr. Mubarak’s powers might be delegated to the vice president for an interim period, according to Diaa Rashwan and Amr Al Shobaky, two members of the group and analysts at the government-funded Al Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies. The move could be legal under Egypt’s constitution…

It wasn’t clear whether such a deal would be acceptable to the opposition, which has insisted Mr. Mubarak step down before negotiations can begin.