
At the start of the referendum in agypt, human rights activists and opposition members warned against new powers for authoritarian president abdel fattah al-sisi.
More than 60 million agyptians are called upon to vote in the three-day constitutional referendum by monday. Constitutional changes to be put to vote include allowing al-sisi to extend his term until 2030. The head of state was one of the first to cast his vote on saturday morning.
The planned constitutional changes undermine egypt’s "democratic course" and are not in the country’s interest, parliamentary deputy haitham al-hariri told the german press agency. "They seem to be tailored to a particular person," he said, without specifically mentioning al-sisi’s name.