Cairo. .- The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces of Egypt announced today that the referendum to amend the Constitution will be held on March 19, as reported in a statement. The vote will take place to amend articles 75, 76, 77, 88, 93, 139 and 148, and to repeal the 179, to amend, inter alia, the term of office of head of state and the requirements to be a presidential candidate.
Also be submitted to popular approval for the inclusion of two new articles in the constitution, according to the resolution of the council, which took over the legislative functions by the resignation of President Hosni Mubarak, on 11 February. The statement from the Egyptian military junta, carried by the official MENA news agency said that the referendum will begin at 8:00 local time (6:00 GMT) and end eleven hours later.
The amendments were proposed by a constitutional committee of experts appointed on 15 February by the military rulers and delivered its opinion on Saturday. Among the proposals made by the lawyers figure that a constitutional amendment to limit presidential terms to four years instead of the current six, and there is only the possibility of reelection.
Mubarak remained in power for almost thirty years, protected by a Constitution adopted in 1971 that put limits on presidential terms. The proposed changes also relax the requirements to become a presidential candidate, given that the current scheme was virtually impossible for him to aspire to the leadership of an independent political state.
If the amendments are approved, only need one of these requirements: the support of 30,000 citizens, that his candidacy is supported by at least 30 deputies or belonging to a party with parliamentary representation, even a single legislator. The experts also suggested that the Egyptian president is of that nationality, which both parents are also Egyptian, without the possibility of dual nationality, who is not married to a foreigner and that is over 40 years.
Other amendments concern the appointment of the President and the modification of an item that opens a back door now legal to the Emergency Law, in force since 1981. Egypt's military rulers have promised that the current transition period will last for six months before handing over power to elected in parliamentary and presidential elections, but no dates have been set for those two votes.
Before Mubarak's resignation, the presidential elections were called for September. In November and December parliamentary elections, but plagued by allegations of fraud and, in fact, Parliament has been dissolved. 
Also be submitted to popular approval for the inclusion of two new articles in the constitution, according to the resolution of the council, which took over the legislative functions by the resignation of President Hosni Mubarak, on 11 February. The statement from the Egyptian military junta, carried by the official MENA news agency said that the referendum will begin at 8:00 local time (6:00 GMT) and end eleven hours later.
The amendments were proposed by a constitutional committee of experts appointed on 15 February by the military rulers and delivered its opinion on Saturday. Among the proposals made by the lawyers figure that a constitutional amendment to limit presidential terms to four years instead of the current six, and there is only the possibility of reelection.
Mubarak remained in power for almost thirty years, protected by a Constitution adopted in 1971 that put limits on presidential terms. The proposed changes also relax the requirements to become a presidential candidate, given that the current scheme was virtually impossible for him to aspire to the leadership of an independent political state.
If the amendments are approved, only need one of these requirements: the support of 30,000 citizens, that his candidacy is supported by at least 30 deputies or belonging to a party with parliamentary representation, even a single legislator. The experts also suggested that the Egyptian president is of that nationality, which both parents are also Egyptian, without the possibility of dual nationality, who is not married to a foreigner and that is over 40 years.
Other amendments concern the appointment of the President and the modification of an item that opens a back door now legal to the Emergency Law, in force since 1981. Egypt's military rulers have promised that the current transition period will last for six months before handing over power to elected in parliamentary and presidential elections, but no dates have been set for those two votes.
Before Mubarak's resignation, the presidential elections were called for September. In November and December parliamentary elections, but plagued by allegations of fraud and, in fact, Parliament has been dissolved.
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