Egypt votes to give president powers that could keep him in office until 2030

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Egyptian citizens have voted to allow the country’s president to potentially stay in power until 2030.

During a nationwide referendum voters were asked to consider a series of proposed constitutional amendments.

If enforced the amendments would extend presidential term limits from four to six years, increase the role of the Egyptian military, and grant the president more control over the judiciary.

The amendments allow a leader to remain in office for two terms but include an article specific to the current president, Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi.

He was elected in 2014 and re-elected last year.

But the specific provision would extend his current four-year term to six years.

It also allows him to potentially run again for another six-year term in 2024.

If Mr Sisi chooses to run again in 2024, he could remain in office until 2030.

The referendum took place over three days but has been marred by allegations of widespread vote-buying and bribery.

Lasheen Ibrahim, the head of Egypt’s National Election Authority, said on Tuesday that the amendments had been approved, with more than 88 per cent of voters backing the proposals.

Turnout in the vote was at 44 per cent.

Critics fear that Mr Sisi will use the result to entrench his authoritarian rule.

The 64-year-old led the military coup which ousted Mohamed Morsi, the previous president, from power in 2013.

Since taking charge he has also overseen a widespread crackdown on dissent and protest.

Thousands people have been jailed since he became president, including many pro-democracy activists.

Egypt’s government has also been accused of threatening civilians to vote in order to boost turnout, and buying pro-Sisi votes with bribes.

Several shop owners and restaurant managers also accused the police of forcing them to put up pro-Sisi posters, which they then had to pay for.

“I was visited by policemen from the nearest police station and threatened to pay 3,000 pounds (£135)” Said Samy, a shop owner in Giza, told The Independent.

“They took the money and put up the posters saying that I and other shop workers support the amendments.”

Mr Sisi thanked the Egyptian people after the result was announced.

“Wonderful scene done by Egyptians who took part in the referendum,” he said on Twitter.

Two international advocacy groups, Human Rights Watch and the International Commission of Jurists, had urged the Egyptian government to withdraw the amendments, saying they placed the country on a path to more autocratic rule.

Hassan Nafaa, a political science professor at Cairo University, said the results were expected.

“There will be dangerous repercussion from the ruling regime as we will see more repression and restrictive policies,” he said.

Additional reporting by agencies