Egyptian legislators propose presidential term extension

Egypt will consider extending the presidential term to six years from four, a senior legislator has said, which could allow President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi to stay in power beyond 2022 when his second term ends.

The speaker of Egypt's parliament, Ali Abdelaal, said on Sunday Feb 03,2019 he received a motion from MPs proposing constitutional amendments that will be considered by parliament after it is discussed in committee.

He gave no details on the recommended changes.

But Abdel-Hadi al-Qassabi, head of the Support Egypt parliamentary bloc that is sponsoring the amendments, said they included extending the presidential term.

"Looking to maintain stability and to complete the development plans, there is a proposal to extend the presidential term to six years," Qassabi told journalists in parliament before the motion was conveyed to Abdelaal.

Note

Sisi was elected in 2014, one year after leading a coup against his predecessor Mohamed Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood group.

 In June 2018, he was re-elected to a second term in office.

Under the Egyptian constitution, Sisi is not allowed to run for a third term.

The current constitution allows the president and a fifth of parliament members to propose an amendment to any of the constitution's articles

Constitutional changes could take months because they require approval by two-thirds of parliament's 596 members followed by a referendum.