France, Oct. 4 -- Lawmakers in Chad have fast-tracked a proposal to allow the president to serve an unlimited number of terms, in a move that the opposition warns opens the door to authoritarianism.

Both houses of parliament passed the reform on Friday, 10 days earlier than originally planned.

The vote means that Chad's constitution will be amended toextend the president's term from five to seven years, renewable without limit.

The reform was proposed by the ruling Patriotic Salvation Movement (MPS)of PresidentMahamat Idriss Deby,who seized power in 2021 after the death of his father, long-serving president Idriss Deby Itno.

The party used its large majority in parliament to pass the amendment by 236 to 257, a result that it said refl...