Egypt MPs back constitution changes to extend Sisi rule: State media

Members of Egypt's parliament on Tuesday approved changes to the constitution that will allow President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to stay in power until 2030, state media reported.

The changes to extend presidential terms are part of amendments initially introduced in February by a parliamentary bloc supportive of Sisi and updated this week after several rounds of debates.

"The president's current term shall expire at the end of six years from the date of his election as president in 2018," reported the official Al-Ahram news website and broadcaster Nile TV.

"He can be re-elected for another (six-year) term." MPs approved other sweeping changes to the constitution including allowing the military a greater influence in Egyptian political life as well as granting Sisi greater control over the judiciary.

"The final votes on all the amendments package have yet to be tallied," MP Mohamed Abu Hamed told AFP.

The amendments are expected to be put to a public referendum later this month. Critics .