Egyptian president Abdel Fattah el-Sisi
Egyptian president Abdel Fattah el-SisiReuters

The Egyptian government handed its resignation to President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi today (Saturday). President al-Sisi has since ordered the oil minister to create a new cabinet.

The country's parliament was recently rocked after Agriculture Minister Salah Helal was arrested for bribery on Monday. Both Helal and his chief of staff reportedly "requested and received" bribes in order to allow a businessman to purchase property belonging to the state.

The government claims that no other ministers have been suspected of wrongdoing, though local media report say it is expected to begin an investigation into corruption.

Some are surprised by the resignation, as parliamentary elections are scheduled to begin on October 17.

While the government's hard-line approach to Islamist terrorists has received support by the public, it has also been blamed for rising food costs and a widely-criticized civil service law.