Egyptians will be voting on Saturday in a referendum to approve constitutional changes aimed at enabling free and fair elections. These changes have caused division among those who believe more extensive constitutional reform is necessary and those who believe the amendments are sufficient for now. The Muslim Brotherhood supports the amendments, putting them at odds with secular groups and prominent reform advocates such as Mohamed ElBaradei and Amr Moussa. The military council, which took power from Mubarak, is hoping for the amendments to be approved so they can continue their plan for parliamentary and presidential elections. Ahmed Saleh, who is currently leading ElBaradei's presidential campaign, described the upcoming vote as a significant moment. He believes that there is a strong desire among people to vote and that change is imminent. The military council, which took over power from Mubarak on Feb. 11, is encouraging a high voter turnout for the referendum. The main purpose of the referendum is to establish a favorable environment for future parliamentary and presidential elections. The council emphasized the importance of Egyptian citizens participating and voicing their opinions. A judicial committee has been tasked with drafting amendments for the referendum, which include limiting the presidency to two terms and restricting the time a leader can hold office to eight years, as opposed to Mubarak's three-decade rule. The council will have to reconsider its strategy and extend a transitional period if the amendments are rejected, which they hope to keep as brief as possible. However, the reforms do not meet the demands of reformists who are pushing for a complete rewrite of the constitution. Youth groups leading protests against Mubarak believe the amendments are an effort to stifle the revolution. There are concerns about the military's tight timeline for elections, as it may not allow enough time for political parties to recover from years of repression, potentially giving an advantage to the Muslim Brotherhood and remnants of Mubarak's regime. General Ismail Etman, a member of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, stated that amending the constitution is the best, though not ideal, solution. In an interview with Al Gomhuria newspaper published on Thursday, he mentioned that the approval of the amendments would result in the creation of new laws that would allow for more political freedom, including the removal of restrictions on political party formation. There has been widespread discussion in newspapers, television stations, and social media on how to vote on the amendments. The "No" campaign continued to push for their cause on Friday with a full-page advertisement in Al Masry Al Youm, a popular Egyptian newspaper. The advertisement included objections such as the lack of time and information before making such a significant decision, along with endorsements from various public figures urging voters to reject the amendments. A Muslim Brotherhood leader expressed a different perspective on the constitutional amendments on the following page, stating that supporting them is a step towards meeting the demands of the revolution. He also mentioned that those who oppose the amendments have not presented a clear alternative. With up to 45 million eligible voters in Egypt's population of 80 million, a high turnout is expected, especially from voters who have experienced violent and rigged elections under Mubarak. One voter, Ahmed Adel, expressed his intention to vote for the amendments in order to help the country move forward and establish a parliament and president as soon as possible. Activist Ziad el-Elemi expressed a different opinion, stating that workshops are being conducted nationwide to educate citizens on the idea that constitutional amendments alone are not sufficient.