Egyptian constitutional amendments will be ‘nail in Sisi’s coffin’

Ayman Nour, a prominent Egyptian political dissident and former presidential candidate, tells TRT World that Sisi will not benefit from ‘catastrophic’ constitutional amendments, even if they pass through a national vote.

TRTWorld

A leading Egyptian opposition figure says that the proposed amendments to Egypt’s current constitution will be the “final nail in the coffin” of President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. 

In an interview with TRT World, Ayman Nour, a former presidential candidate currently living in a self-imposed exile in Istanbul, strongly condemned measures put forth by Egypt’s parliament that aim to amend the country’s constitution. 

Nour called the proposed amendments “catastrophic” saying they “hold no meaning other than that he (Sisi) is hammering the final nail in his coffin.” 

Last month, the Egyptian parliament - mostly filled with ardent Sisi supporters - overwhelmingly passed a draft of proposed changes to amend the country’s constitution. The amendments, once passed, will pave the way for Sisi to stay in power till at least 2034; grant the military a broader political role in the country’s affairs; as well as tighten Sisi’s control over the judiciary. 

Nour claimed that Sisi would not benefit from these amendments, citing former presidents Anwar Sadat and Hosni Mubarak who also amended Egypt’s constitution to entrench their grip on power further.

“When [Anwar] Sadat amended the constitution of 1971, he amended an article form ‘successive presidential term’ to ‘terms’... Sadat never benefited from this amendment,” Nour said of Sadat, who was assassinated in 1981, a year after passing this amendment. 

Hosni Mubarak succeeded Sadat as president of Egypt and was able to run for five consecutive terms because of this amendment, showing how such changes can have a lasting impact over a country’s political future. 

Mubarak went on to amend Egypt’s constitution in 2005 and 2007 during his tenure. “Mubarak amended Article 76 so that his son (Gamal) can inherit power from him,” said Nour. 

Mubarak was later toppled by a popular uprising in February 2011, nearly 30 years after coming to power. 

“And I’m telling el-Sisi: You will leave before benefitting from this amendment. Even if it passes through the fake referendum that you’ll be calling for,” said Nour. 

The proposed amendments drew sharp criticism from local and international rights groups. Last month, a letter signed by 11 Egyptian rights groups condemned the measures, saying they were drafted for Sisi “to retain power for life”. 

In a statement published in February, Michael Page, deputy Middle East director at Human Rights Watch, said: “if the amendments are passed, there is a clear risk that they will formally give the armed forces unchecked authority.” 

When the amendments were first tabled in parliament, Egyptian MP Ahmed Tantawy called the articles a “setback” in a rare display of political opposition. 

“It’s a return to a governing regime worse than before January 25 (2011 revolution).

“It is concentrating absolute power in the hands of one man, and we believe that absolute power is absolute corruption,” Tantawy said during a parliament session which quickly circulated online. 

The amendments are currently under discussion in ‘national dialogue’ meetings. Representatives from Egyptian universities, religious institutions and local media have reportedly been invited, in an attempt to reflect inclusivity over the proposed amendments. 

Reuters Archive

Nour claims that Sisi's image in the West is "directly shaped by Israel."

‘Israel: Egypt’s foreign ministry’ 

Since coming to power, Sisi has faced little pushback from European countries or the United States despite Egypt’s widely-criticised human rights record. 

According to Nour, western support to Sisi’s government does not amount to internal stability. 

“Mubarak was backed by the West,” Nour said. 

“Ben Ali was backed by the West. Many of the leaders who were toppled by revolutions were backed by the West. At any given moment, the West will feel like they can’t confront the will of the people.” 

Nour also claimed that neighbouring countries such as Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Israel are responsible for shaping Sisi’s image in the West, and not Egypt. 

“This marketing that the Sisi regime is practising is not manufactured by Sisi himself. Let’s be clear, it was shaped by some Gulf countries like Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates,” Nour said, before adding that it is now “directly shaped by Israel.”

“I recently met with a member of the US Congress … he told me something which seriously troubled me. He told me that Egypt’s foreign ministry is currently Israel.” 

When asked who the congressman was, Nour refused to reveal his name saying he “didn’t have his permission” to disclose the name publicly. 

Despite a 40-year-old peace treaty signed between Egypt and Israel, many Egyptians continue to view Israel as a security threat. The relationship between both governments drew closer under Sisi. 

In an interview earlier this year, Sisi admitted to closer military cooperation with Israel in the Sinai peninsula - where Egypt is currently fighting a Daesh affiliate. 

Return to Egypt? 

Nour left Egypt following the 2013 military coup led by Sisi which ousted Mohamed Morsi, the country’s first democratically elected president. 

After spending a brief period in Lebanon, he moved to Turkey where he now owns an Istanbul-based opposition channel. He has not returned home since. 

“When I left (Egypt) my intention was to return after a few months. My passport expired, and they refused to renew it. So how do I return to my country?” Nour asked, adding: “Even if I returned to Egypt, will I be free to express my own opinion even on Twitter?” 

“The truth is that won’t happen. Why? Because we’re facing a repressive situation”. 

Route 6