Egypt’s Al-Sissi Seeks Lifting of Term Limits

One year before the end of his first term in office, Egyptian President Abdel-Fatteh Al-Sissi has a lawmaker collecting signatures in order to bring the issue to the parliament. On one hand Sissi has not said he’s going to seek re-election, while on the other hand he wants the limitation of two four-year terms lifted. Twenty per cent of the parliament must sign on in order to begin the process. The change will ultimately require approval of the people in the form of a referendum once it clears the legislature. Critics accuse Sissi of rolling back human and civil rights that were ostensibly part of his sweep into power. Because of the ongoing battle against Islamists, a state of emergency has allowed the president to impinge on those rights. And because of the international preoccupation with the Syrian civil war and Islamist terror, Sissi has managed to avoid what many believe would have been intense pressure from the international community, and in particular the west, to restore those rights he has curtailed.