As reported by BBC News on 24 April 2019, Egyptian citizens have voted in favor of the proposed
constitutional changes in a referendum held over three days. This vote means that President al-Sisi"s second term will be extended by two years to 2024 and could mean he stays in power until 2030. Together with al-Sisi"s current crackdown on all criticism, these changes indicate that dictatorship has returned to Egypt.
"Many people are asking whether the Tahrir Square revolution of 2011 was in vain," comments Maurits Bosch, persecution analyst at World Watch Research, "but most Christians in Egypt seem to support the constitutional changes. It is not that they are unaware of this return to dictatorship, but it is a price they are willing to pay to have stability. Their fear of the Muslim Brotherhood and political Islam returning is bigger than their wish to live in a democratic state. However, siding with al-Sisi might be a costly decision if the regime were to change again or if al-Sisi would start giving in to Islamists" demands which would lead to Egypt becoming an even more Islamic country."
Michael Bosch points out: "Regime changes are taking place in North Africa in Sudan, Algeria and possibly in Libya in due course. This might affect the sustainability of al-Sisi"s dictatorship. Al-Sisi cannot keep restricting the Egyptian people, if people in neighboring countries are being given more political freedom. The short taste of freedom during the Tahrir Square revolution will not be quickly forgotten."
