An Egyptian lawmaker started collecting signatures on Sunday for a motion to extend presidential terms and lift restrictions on re-election - a year before general-turned-president Abdel Fattah al-Sisi's first term is due to expire. Egyptian President, now 62, went on to win a presidential vote in 2014. He has not said whether he will seek re-election when his current term ends in 2018.

The move by independent lawmaker Ismail Nasreddine to amend article 140 of the constitution would enable Sisi to stay in power longer than the two four-year terms currently permitted. But the process is still at an early stage. Nasreddine, a low-profile lawmaker, will need the support of 20 percent of MPs to table a discussion on the issue in parliament. Even if he is able to push an amendment through parliament by the required two-thirds majority, the constitution also stipulates that any revision be approved by popular referendum.

Immediately after the coup in 2013 in Egypt, which saw Egypt's first democratically elected President, Mohammed Morsi, overthrown by the now incumbent president, former Gen. Abdel Fattah el-Sissi.