ISTANBUL

Dozens of politicians and public figures in Egypt have voiced opposition to any amendment of the country's constitution.  

Calls have recently grown in Egypt for amending the Constitution with a view to extending President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi’s term.  

"These calls have a sole objective, which is extending the presidential term of the current president despite the presence of an article banning any amendment,” reads a statement signed by 170 politicians and public figures.  

“The Constitution is a contract between the ruler and the people, and it has been drafted to turn it into laws that guarantee security, stability and development for serving the citizens,” it added.  

The statement vowed to use “all means of peaceful resistance to reject any new tampering with the Constitution."  

Signatories include former presidential candidate Hamdeen Sabahi and rights activist Gamal Eid.  

The Constitution sets the term of the president for only four years, who can only be re-elected once.  

A former army chief, al-Sisi was elected president in mid-2014 after he led a military coup against his predecessor Mohamed Morsi, the country’s first freely elected president a year earlier.  

He was re-elected to a second term in office in June 2018. His term will end in 2022.