Constitutional changes expand el-Sissi’s power
Egyptian lawmakers approved sweeping changes in the country’s constitution to extend President Abdel Fatah el-Sissi’s rule and give him unprecedented powers, cementing his authoritarian grip on the Arab world’s most populous nation.
The vote – 531-22, with one abstention – was widely expected: The legislature is dominated by Sissi’s loyalists, and Sissi’s regime has largely silenced opposition to the constitutional amendments, arresting dissenters and seeking to stamp out an online protest campaign by shutting down its website. It has also taken steps to restrict online content that allowed Egyptians access to the opposition campaign.
The amendments, which were pushed through parliamentary hearings and debates over a few weeks, will now be put to a public referendum, a three-day process that could begin as early as next week. But critics say an equitable vote is unlikely.
‘‘We know that the vast majority of Egyptians do not support these amendments, but a free and fair vote will be almost impossible,’’ Dina Darwish, an Egyptian American physician and activist, said in a statement. ‘‘Many Egyptians fear for what will happen if they do not support Sissi. When a vote is based on fear, it is not a democratic vote.’’
If a majority of Egyptians vote in favour, it would extend presidential terms to six years. So Sissi’s current term would be extended by two more years, and he would be permitted to run once again in 2024. That means, in theory, that Sissi could remain in power until 2030.
When President Donald Trump, during a meeting with Sissi last week at the White House, was asked about what human rights groups describe as a power grab in Egypt, Trump described Sissi as ‘‘a great president’’.
Sissi would also be given new powers to appoint judges as well as the public prosecutor, in effect gaining control over the judiciary. The proposed changes also include declaring that the military’s role is to protect ‘‘the constitution and democracy’’. Critics say that would allow the military, which Sissi once led and remains the force behind his presidency, to influence politics and expand its power.
The measures to bolster Sissi’s influence stand in sharp contrast to the populist revolts in Algeria and Sudan that have toppled long-ruling dictators in recent weeks. –