13 February 2019•Update: 13 February 2019
CAIRO
Egypt’s parliament on Wednesday began debating proposed amendments to the country’s constitution.
Lawmakers held a session to discuss the amendments, which includes increasing the presidential term from four to six years, according to local media.
Following the discussions, the parliament will eventually set a session to vote on the final amendments before holding a referendum, a parliamentary source told Anadolu Agency on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on speaking to the media.
Earlier this month, the Support Egypt Coalition, the country's largest parliamentary bloc, lodged an official request with the assembly to amend the country's national charter.
Supporters of Egypt’s regime have expressed support for the move, which, they say, would contribute to the country’s “stability”.
Opponents of the move, by contrast, including many journalists, say the proposed changes -- if implemented -- would “set the country back years”.
Notably, opposition lawmaker Haitham al-Hariri published a draft of the proposed amendments that include an interim article that allows incumbent President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi to remain in power for 2034.
Al-Sisi was elected in the same year the new charter was ratified -- and one year after leading a military coup against his predecessor, Mohamed Morsi.
In June of last year, al-Sisi was re-elected to a second presidential term, which is set to expire in 2022.
According to the constitution in its current form, al-Sisi cannot run for a third term in office.
The presidency has yet to comment on the proposed constitutional adjustments, but al-Sisi has said in previous televised remarks that he had no intention to run for a third term.
