Egypt’s Sisi says he will leave presidency in 2030

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi said he would leave the presidency in 2030, in remarks at an Egyptian Military Academy graduation ceremony reported on October 17, 2026. He also outlined plans for the academy in Egypt to prepare potential future leaders before his departure.¹³⁴

A pledge on constitutional limits

Sisi pledged to respect constitutional limits and said there would be no changes allowing him to remain president beyond 2030. Sisi said his tenure as president would conclude in 2030. This matter is completely settled,” he said, according to Middle East Eye.¹³⁴

The Japan Times reported that Sisi, 71, is serving a six-year term following his re-election in December 2023. The newspaper said constitutional changes adopted in 2019 lengthened presidential terms from four to six years and made Sisi eligible to run for a third term.²

According to The National, those amendments retained a two-term ceiling but counted Sisi’s first term as starting in 2018 rather than 2014. It also reported that he denied speculation he was grooming a relative to take over the presidency after him.¹

Training prospective leaders

The proposed leadership programme would run for 30 months at the Egyptian Military Academy. The National reported that it would invite up to 1,000 doctorate holders, with applicants required to be between 40 and 50 years old and to undergo interviews and vetting.¹²

According to The Japan Times, participants would hold doctorates from reputable universities in Egypt or abroad and study the state, its resources and their protection. The newspaper reported that graduates could be selected for posts in the presidency, government ministries, provincial administrations or parliament.²

The Japan Times said parliament’s speaker would supervise a committee tasked with setting applicant requirements and drafting legislation for the programme. Its membership would include intellectuals, politicians and the ministers responsible for higher education and justice.²

Sisi presented the training proposal as preparation for the responsibilities that would follow his departure. “I need the Egyptian people to support this idea,” he said, according to The National. The newspaper reported that critics questioned whether the proposed conditions would themselves require a constitutional amendment.¹

The military’s proposed role

The National reported that Sisi also asked parliament to legislate a role for the armed forces in safeguarding the state, democracy and territorial integrity. The newspaper described the military academy as increasingly central to government and reported concerns that the process would place ultimate authority with the armed forces.¹

The New York Times reported that, while pledging to observe presidential term limits, Sisi was also asking parliament to authorise assistance in Saudi Arabia’s defence. In a separate report, Middle East Eye said Egypt’s foreign minister had renewed Cairo’s backing for Saudi Arabia amid the kingdom’s confrontation with the Houthi movement in Yemen.³⁴