Egypt’s parliament advanced a proposal on Tuesday to amend the constitution in a way that could allow President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi to stay in office well beyond the end of his current term in 2022.
El-Sissi led the 2013 military overthrow of an elected but divisive Islamist president and was elected the following year. He has presided over an unprecedented crackdown on dissent, and was re-elected last year after all potentially serious challengers were jailed or pressured to exit the race.
A constitutional amendment to extend el-Sissi’s rule would add to concerns that the country is slipping back into authoritarianism eight years after a pro-democracy uprising ended Hosni Mubarak’s nearly three-decade rule.
Parliament speaker Ali Abdel-Al said two thirds of the 596-seat legislature endorsed the proposed amendments. It’s unclear when the assembly — which is packed with el-Sissi supporters — will take a final vote, and a national referendum would need to be held to amend the constitution.
A draft of the proposed amendments, obtained by The Associated Press, shows concerted efforts by the pro-government “Supporting Egypt” coalition to consolidate el-Sissi’s power. The 64-year-old leader could be allowed to run for a third and fourth six-year term, potentially extending his rule to 2034.
The motion was submitted Sunday after approval by a required fifth of the chamber’s 596 lawmakers, the vast majority of whom are el-Sissi supporters.
“In order to maintain stability and to complete the development plans, there is a proposal to extend the presidential term to six years,” said Abdel-Hadi el-Qassabi, head of the majority coalition in the parliament, which is sponsoring the move.
“Conditions on the ground, the situation in the region and the nation’s circumstances have proven that (the current term limits) are unsuitable,” he said.
Pro-government media figures have been arguing for months that two terms are not enough for el-Sissi to fulfil his ambitious vision of modernizing the country, including overhauling its economy and defeating Islamic militants.
Yasser Rizq, chairman of the state-owned al-Akhbar daily and a close confidant of el-Sissi, has argued in recent columns that constitutional amendments were necessary to prevent Islamist parties from gaining power.
The Muslim Brotherhood group won a series of free and fair elections after the 2011 uprising, culminating in one of its senior figures, Mohamed Morsi, winning the presidency in 2012. Morsi’s rule proved divisive, however, and the military removed him from power amid mass protests a year later. Authorities have since outlawed the Brotherhood as a terrorist group and arrested thousands of its members.
The government has also jailed a number of prominent secular activists. It has banned unauthorized protests, heavily restricted civil society groups and blocked hundreds of websites.
El-Sissi has repeatedly said he would not stay in office any longer than Egyptians wanted him to and that he was not in favor of amending the constitution’s term limits. But opposition parties and media have come under intense pressure during his rule, and political figures who have challenged him have been jailed, fled into self-imposed exile or withdrawn from public life.
The proposed amendments also include the introduction of the role of vice president, a revived senate and the enshrining of a quota of 25 percent for women in the House of Deputies. Also included is “adequate” representation for workers, farmers, youth and people with special needs in the legislature.
The motion would give the president the power to appoint top judges and bypass judiciary oversight in vetting draft legislation before it is voted into law. The amendments are nearly certain to be adopted by the legislature, but they would also need to be put to a national referendum.
Many opposition lawmakers and figures have decried the motion, and critics have taken to social media to reject what they see as an attempt to enshrine an authoritarian government.
Is this really surprising? This is the order of the day all around the world.
Africans are the technical experts of manipulating everything.
The world will be controlled by a few self chosen ones and that's just it.
There we go, another self styled god going for lifetime presidency!
China gave a good e.g of abuse of docile people & Africa ruled by ignorant, abusive, heartless...is victim of this madness!
Egypt is pass gate for Africans looking for better life in Europe, but this shithole continent's ruelrs only think of extending their meaningless presidential terms! Even 2 years is more than enough for these demons as they get so rich in just 1 year in post!
...Ah, but Europe gives Egypt millions of euros to help stop poor Africans trying their way to Europe, so Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi wants to stay on & pcket the money while inciting more poor Africans to cross over!
Africans are dying to reach Europe for public/social services & this eincludes Egyptians! But Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi is not aware his own people need puiblic/social services too, yet wants to rule them for life!
Another uprising & Egyptians coming out will put a stop to this meaningless motion to extend the rule of a man who has no 'leaderership' qualities, yet wants to continue in office only to plunge Egype in chaos, at a time when all the people need is assurance of good rule to give Education, without which there will never be real development, thus no public/social services in site!
Egyptians MUST wake up as this man is the one giving himself notations on how he rules, for how long, when it's the people who should do so!
Thanks to self styled/self rightious rules, Africans are the poorest living on lands full of gold-diamonds-oil... while their useless rulers share land richs with foreign companies who control Africa's land riches & expolit as they wish!
Which African company controls land riches in developed world & sends money to Africa for social/public services financing, development?
As long as Africa is ruled by ignorant, selfish goons, Africans will be poor while African land riches are used to give public/social services to developed world!
EU gives millions to useless African rulers to help stop poor Africans going to Europe for better life, yet Europe is happy Africa is ruled by demons who give European companies access to Africa land riches!
How many Africans are served with their oil/gold/diamond...money?
Africa is a very depressing Continent to live in. This is because every morning you wake to the news of another dictator digging in thru amending the country's constitution to extend their term of of office.
In other words, African is full of kawumi in the different State Houses, sucking the blood of their citizens.
With increasing ignorance, unemployment, povery, diseases, debts, death and random violence; it is hopelessly depressing and sickening.