Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi confirmed that he will not allow the constitution to be compromised, stressing that he will continue to work until the last day of his presidential term in 2030, in statements that come amid electronic campaigns demanding that the constitution be amended to allow him to run for a new term. This was welcomed by opposition circles and demands to open the political field, and Sisi’s supporters described it as an affirmation of respect for the constitution.
Al-Sisi said, during the educational symposium organized by the armed forces on the occasion of the anniversary of the October War, on October 14, that Egypt has a constitution approved by the Egyptians, adding: “No one whispers it.” He reiterated his assertion during his participation in the Police Academy ceremony the next day that he would work until the end of his presidential term.
The statements sparked mixed reactions in political circles, between welcoming them as an affirmation of respect for constitutional rules, and demands to translate them into practical steps that guarantee the peaceful transfer of power, while others recalled the experience of the constitutional amendments approved in 2019, which allowed Sisi to remain in power until 2030.
Under the current constitutional text, Sisi is not entitled to run for a new term after the end of his third term in 2030.
According to a presidential statement, Al-Sisi warned against misinformation campaigns on social media platforms, noting that “even in the sixties and seventies there was psychological warfare, but by different means, and that it will continue, and that it targets the will of the Egyptians.”
Do the statements pave the way for a new political phase after the end of the current term in three years? What do parties and the opposition need to prepare for upcoming presidential elections?
The Civil Democratic Movement, the largest grouping of Egyptian opposition parties, welcomed Sisi’s statements, describing them as a positive step that enhances respect for constitutional texts.
The movement said, in a statement, that the real bet for achieving a political and social breakthrough is respecting the constitution, activating it, and the peaceful transfer of power, considering that this represents a gateway to expanding the public sphere for parties, unions, media, and civil society organizations.
The movement expressed its hope that the president's statements would turn into a practical commitment that would allow Egyptians to participate in shaping the future of their country.
Dr. Emad Gad, advisor at Al-Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies, believes that calls to amend the constitution appeared in a context characterized by deteriorating economic conditions, rising prices, and declining purchasing power, in addition to anger at the government’s performance.
Gad believes that these calls have become a burden on the state and its institutions, and that Sisi’s statements may reflect a consensus within state institutions to rule out the option of amending the constitution at the present time.
But he believes that the significance of the statements will depend on what future developments will reveal, warning that retracting them, if they happen, will not necessarily pass quietly, especially among those who received it as a positive indicator.
As for the writer and researcher in political sociology, Ammar Ali Hassan, he believes that previous experiences require caution before drawing final conclusions from the statements. Hassan recalls the debate that preceded the 2019 amendments, when the debate ended with the approval of constitutional changes that allowed Sisi to run for a third presidential term.
According to Hassan, the matter is not about the statements alone, as much as it is about whether they will be followed by practical steps that confirm commitment to them.
Sisi's recent statements gain additional importance in light of previous constitutional amendments that changed the rules for presidential terms.
The 2014 Constitution, in its original form, stipulated that the term of office of the President of the Republic is four years, and that he may only be re-elected once.
However, amendments approved in 2019 increased the presidential term to six years, and allowed Sisi to run for a third term, after rearranging the presidential terms applied to him. Under these amendments, the current mandate began in April 2024 and is scheduled to end in 2030.
Al-Sisi said, in an interview with the American network CNBC in 2017, that he supports commitment to two presidential terms of four years each, and does not support changing this system. But the 2019 amendments changed the constitutional rules regulating the term of the presidency.
This experience explains, according to Ammar Ali Hassan, caution against being satisfied with verbal assurances, and brings the debate back to whether the current statements will translate into actual commitment to constitutional rules.
Tariq Al-Awadi says that the president’s statements are reassuring, but they need confirmation on the ground, to ensure that the peaceful transfer of power becomes an actual practice, not just a constitutional principle.
If the current presidential term ends on its constitutional date in 2030, will Egyptian political forces have the time and capacity necessary to prepare for competitive elections?
Ammar Ali Hassan believes that the remaining years provide the civil and opposition forces with an opportunity to work on presenting alternative personalities and programs, and building a mass base capable of supporting them in the upcoming elections.
He says that what is required is to go beyond focusing on limited personalities, and to present alternative visions and programs that can be accepted by sectors of Egyptians, while seeking to build a popular bloc supportive of these forces.
According to Hassan, the search for alternatives should not be limited to well-known media figures; He believes that there are competencies and experiences in various professions and institutions that can contribute to political life if given the opportunity.
But Hassan points out that the opposition has been exhausted, isolated, and distorted, and that its financial capabilities have severely declined, which limits its ability to move and influence. He believes that, however, it must work to create political pressure in order to adhere to what the president announced.
These challenges, according to human rights reports, are related to restrictions imposed on the public sphere, freedom of expression, political and journalistic work. Freedom House classified Egypt as a “not free” country in its 2026 freedom report, noting the limitations of effective political opposition and restrictions on civil liberties, media, and freedom of assembly.
Egypt also ranked 169 out of 180 countries in the World Press Freedom Index for 2026, issued by Reporters Without Borders. The organization said that media pluralism in Egypt is almost absent, and that journalists face pressures that limit their ability to work independently.
In this context, Egyptian lawyer and politician Tariq Al-Awadi links the readiness of political forces for elections to providing a climate that allows parties and the opposition to exercise their role.
Al-Awadi says that the responsibility does not fall on the state alone, but also includes the political forces that must prepare from now for the next presidential election. But he believes that ensuring the peaceful transfer of power requires strong institutions, effective parties, a peaceful opposition, and real elections that provide guarantees of integrity and equal opportunities.
He adds that the political climate requires real openness, expanding the public sphere, releasing prisoners of conscience whose hands are not stained with blood, enabling parties to exercise their role, and allowing the media to present supportive and opposing viewpoints.
For Al-Awadhi, Al-Sisi’s statements carry an important political and constitutional significance, but they need confirmation of commitment to them on the ground. At the forefront of these guarantees is the provision of a political environment that allows parties to work and communicate with citizens, and allows for the presence of different points of view in the public sphere.
Ammar Ali Hassan agrees with the importance of linking the political and economic tracks, considering that the existence of a political life characterized by a degree of flexibility and hope can reflect positively on economic conditions.
