Egyptians are not happy with the decision of President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi to expand his term in office. The constitutional changes would allow President to stay in office until 2030, activists say that is the last nail into the coffin of the Arab Spring revolution and its achievements.
Egypt is waiting for the referendum results that should show whether people agreed on Sisi’s staying in the office until 2030. On Sunday, the military-backed regime made determined efforts to boost turnout in a referendum designed to ensure that Mr Sisi can expand its term.
In the capital city, Tahrir Square plastered with banners of Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, Egypt’s president and posters urging to vote on the referendum.
According to the experts, there is no doubt that the referendum will pass in the president’s favour. The only question is what margin of victory he will claim to have won by. Voters were driven to polling stations and given food parcels and vouchers in working-class areas to counter the effects of disillusionment and election fatigue.
The referendum is the third on constitutional changes since the uprising that toppled President Mubarak in 2011. Although the opposition was allowed, spearheaded by a small group of MPs, advertising and state media coverage of the referendum all backed a “yes” vote. Reports focused on presidential infrastructure projects, such as a new capital city outside Cairo. The development of the capital’s outskirts should guarantee the economic boom and new working places.
