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Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has ruled out extending his presidency beyond 2030, saying the country’s constitution will not be amended to prolong his time in office.
Mariyam Adheela
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi -- Presidency of the Arab Republic of Egypt
CAIRO, Egypt — Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has said he will leave office when his current presidential term ends in 2030, describing the matter as settled and ruling out constitutional changes to extend his tenure.
Sisi made the remarks on Saturday during a graduation ceremony at the Egyptian Military Academy in the New Administrative Capital, east of Cairo. He said the Egyptian constitution would not be changed to allow him to remain in power beyond his current term.
Sisi stressed that the end of his presidency in 2030 was final and not open to further discussion. His statement comes amid speculation about whether constitutional amendments could allow him to remain in office beyond the current deadline.
Egypt approved constitutional amendments in 2019 that extended presidential terms from four years to six years and allowed Sisi to serve his current third term, which is due to end in 2030.
During the ceremony, Sisi also outlined a proposal for a 30-month programme at the Egyptian Military Academy to prepare qualified candidates for senior government positions, including the presidency.
The proposed initiative would target candidates aged between 40 and 50 who hold doctoral degrees from recognised Egyptian or foreign universities. The programme is intended to develop a pool of potential leaders for Egyptians to choose from, according to state-owned Ahram Online.
Sisi also dismissed speculation that he was preparing a relative to succeed him as president. He said Egypt needed a new generation of people capable of taking responsibility for running the state.
Sisi, a former military chief, has led Egypt since 2014 after the military removed then-President Mohamed Morsi in 2013 following mass protests against his government.
His current term follows his re-election in December 2023, when official results showed he won 89.6 per cent of the vote. If he leaves office as stated in 2030, he will have served as president for approximately 16 years.
