Hazem el-Biblawi’s sudden resignation as Egypt’s prime minister didn’t only take Egypt by surprise, but apparently even some of his ministers as well, according to some reports floating around. Minister of Higher Education Hossam Eissa, for example, told Foreign Policy that he “knew about it when [Biblawi] started speaking.” In another interview, he swore he had no idea why the resignation took place.

In his brief resignation statement, Biblawi provided no rationale for the move. Instead, he spoke of how he saw that, despite the setbacks and problems plaguing the country, his government had succeeded in steering the country overall across a difficult post-Morsi phase, restored basic security and helped bring forth a new constitution. He called on people to rally around the state, focus on national interests, then ended with it with a John F. Kennedy-style, “Before anyone asks, ‘What did Egypt do for me?’ — I would say: 'What did what did I do for Egypt?'”

Then, this afternoon, the speculation was confirmed when the housing minister, former head of the Arab Contractors Co., and former National Democratic Party (NDP) member Ibrahim Mehleb was formally tapped as successor. While seen as a capable man, detractors made allegations of corruption, while others pointed out his NDP background, being a member of the notorious Gamal Mubarak-led Policies Committee, and that he was an appointed member of the 2010 Shura Council, arguing his appointment was a bad signal of Egypt moving backwards.

While everyone was indeed taken aback by Biblawi’s resignation, few seemed sad to see the 77-year-old liberal economist, professor and banker resign his premiership. Taking the helm after the very unpopular Morsi-appointed Qandil government, many had high hopes for Biblawi. Instead, Biblawi and his government had grown unpopular by the end of his time in office, and have come to be colloquially nicknamed “El-Balawi,” a variation of his name that roughly means “The Catastrophes.” And while this unpopularity was a unifying sentiment for many, the reasons were anything but unified.