Cairo: Egyptian lawmakers voted for increasing thepresidential term from four to six years for two consecutive mandates, the state-run Al Ahram newspaper reported online.
Lawmakers also approved a provisional article that extends incumbent President Abdel-Fatah al Sissi’s current term for two years until 2024. It also allows him to run for a third term.
These two articles, which will allow him to potentially stay in power until 2030, are part of a series of constitutional amendments proposed by parliament.
Lawmakers voted on each individual amendment by show of hands. They are now voting by name on the entire package of amendments, which must be approved by at least two-thirds of the 596-strong House of Representatives before they are put to a public referendum.
The proposed amendments were initially introduced in February by a parliamentary bloc supportive of Sisi and updated this week after several rounds of debates.
They include changing Article 140 of the constitution to allow the president to extend his current four-year term, which ends in 2022, by two years. A further change would permit Sisi to stand for another six-year term and potentially remain president until 2030.
Parliament is also due to vote on a controversial article which critics fear might allow the military a greater influence in Egyptian political life.
Pro-Sisi member of parliament Mostafa Bakry said that the session “had started” and that the final voting in the 596-seat parliament, which is dominated by Sisi loyalists, would be held “later today”.
State-run Al Ahram news website said several MPs carried Egyptian flags as they gathered for the vote inside the parliament while nationalistic songs played in the background. — AFP
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