, ▁the ▁National ▁Assembly ▁confirmed ▁his ▁appointment ▁without ▁serious ▁opposition . ▁Although ▁the ▁new ▁prime ▁minister ▁had ▁supported ▁Sh erm ar ke ▁in ▁the ▁president ial ▁election , ▁he ▁was ▁a ▁nor ther ner ▁and ▁had ▁led ▁a ▁ 1 9 6 2 ▁defe ction ▁of ▁the ▁northern ▁SN L ▁assembly ▁members ▁from ▁the ▁government . ▁He ▁had ▁also ▁been ▁closely ▁involved ▁in ▁the ▁found ing ▁of ▁the ▁S NC ▁but , ▁with ▁many ▁other ▁northern ▁members ▁of ▁that ▁group , ▁had ▁rejo ined ▁the ▁SY L ▁after ▁the ▁ 1 9 6 4 ▁elections . ▁ ▁A ▁more ▁important ▁difference ▁between ▁Sh erm ar ke ▁and ▁Eg al , ▁other ▁than ▁their ▁past ▁affili ations , ▁was ▁the ▁new ▁prime ▁minister ' s ▁moder ate ▁position ▁on ▁pan - S om ali ▁issues ▁and ▁his ▁desire ▁for ▁improved ▁relations ▁with ▁other ▁African ▁countries . ▁In ▁these ▁areas , ▁he ▁was ▁al lied ▁with ▁the ▁" mod ern ists " ▁in ▁the ▁government , ▁parliament , ▁and ▁administration ▁who ▁fav ored ▁redirect ing ▁the ▁nation ' s ▁energ ies ▁from ▁confront ation ▁with ▁its ▁neighb ors ▁to ▁comb ating ▁social ▁and ▁economic ▁ill s . ▁Although ▁many ▁of ▁his ▁domestic ▁policies ▁seemed ▁more ▁in ▁line ▁with ▁those ▁of ▁the ▁previous ▁administration , ▁Eg al ▁continued ▁to ▁hold ▁the ▁confidence ▁of ▁both ▁Sh erm ar ke ▁and ▁the ▁National ▁Assembly ▁during ▁the ▁eigh teen ▁months ▁preceding ▁the ▁March ▁ 1 9 6 9 ▁national ▁elections . ▁ ▁The ▁March ▁ 1 9 6 9