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A coalition of opposition political parties on Thursday urged Egyptians to reject proposed constitutional amendments that would allow President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi to stay in power until 2030.

The Civil Democratic Movement, comprising liberal and left-leaning parties, held a news conference to criticise the amendments.

The coalition called the amendments an "assault on democracy" and called on Egyptian voters to break the "barrier of silence," urging them to take part in the referendum by voting "No."

"We want people to go and say no," Abdel-Aziz al-Husseini, of the Karam party, said.

The three-day nationwide referendum starts on Saturday, which, according to analysts, was designed to maximize turnout.

The dates were announced less than 24 hours after parliament overwhelmingly approved the proposed changes that also set to further enshrine the military's grip on politics.

The opposition said they were banned from hanging banners in the streets to urge voters to say “No” to the amendments,

Following the ban, the coalition said they have only used social media to communicate with people.

"Unfortunately, the Egyptian regime is not learning the lessons of 2011 revolution or experiences in Algeria and Sudan," said Khaled Dawood, an opposition leader and former head of the liberal Dostour, or Constitution party.

If the referendum passes "our dream and hope to have a president who is elected once every two terms have come to an end," said Khaled Dawood.

The amendments are viewed by critics as another step back toward authoritarianism.

The amendments, would extend President Sisi's term in office from four to six years and allow for a maximum of two terms.

The constitutional changes also include a special article specific to the president that extends his current second four-year term to six years and allows him to run for another six-year term in 2024.

He could therefore remain in power until 2030.

Sisi led the army's overthrow of elected president Mohamed Morsi in 2013 following mass protests against the Islamist leader's rule.

He won his first term as president in 2014 and was re-elected in March 2018 with more than 97 percent of the vote, after standing virtually unopposed.

His government has been widely criticised by human rights groups for the repression of political opponents.

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