Lawmakers back changes that could keep Egyptian Sisi in power till 2034

Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, President of Egypt and the incoming chairperson of the African Union (AU), attends a news conference during a closing of the 32nd Ordinary Session of the African Union annual summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, February 11, 2019. REUTERS/Tiksa Negeri

The Egyptian parliament on Thursday approved in principle proposed constitutional amendments that would allow President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to stay in power until 2034 and boost his control of the judiciary.


Parliament Speaker Ali Abdelaal said that 485 MPs of the 596-seat assembly voted in favour of the changes, comprising more than the two-thirds majority needed to pass the amendments.

The proposed changes will now go for a review in a parliamentary committee and then return to parliament for a second vote before they are presented for a national referendum expected before the middle of the year.