Tunisian President accused of staging coup after suspending parliament, Largest political bloc ‘ready’ for legislative and presidential polls at it warns of risk of ‘autocratic’ rule.
After the 2011 political crisis which introduced democracy in the country, the recent event of Tunisian President Kais Saied sacking the government and freezing the parliament is another democratic crisis as Tunisia’s main parties including the largest political bloc, Ennahdha calls it a coup on the basis that removal of the government was done with help from the army.
Saied appeared on national television to declare he had dismissed the premier, Hichem Mechichi, and ordered parliament closed for 30 days, later sending army troops to the legislature and the prime minister’s office.
The president’s actions, ostensibly “to save Tunisia”, followed a day of street protests against the government’s poor handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has left Tunisia with one of the world’s highest official per-capita death tolls.
The president also said he would choose a new prime minister, lifted the parliamentary immunity of legislators, and warned armed opposition would be met with bullets. He later fired the defense and justice ministers.
The office of the Tunisian parliament, chaired by Ennahdha leader Rached Ghannouchi, voiced its “absolute rejection and strong condemnation” of the president’s actions.
Many Tunisians expressed support for the president and thousands flooded the streets to celebrate but others voiced fear of a return to dictatorship.
Opponents of Saied have said they are ready for early elections while warning against an “autocratic regime”. The Ennahdha party said that “for the sake of the democratic path,” it is “ready to go to early legislative and presidential elections” while warning that any delay is not used as a pretext to maintain an autocratic regime.
Tunisia’s foreign minister phoned his counterparts in the European Union, as well as Turkey and the High Commissioner for Human Rights to reassure them after the president suspended parliament and dismissed the government, the ministry said late on Tuesday, as the opposition called for elections.
Foreign Minister Othman Jerandi said he explained that the extraordinary measures were temporary and that his counterparts pledged their continued support to the fledgling democracy.
Earlier on Tuesday, Saudi Arabia affirmed its confidence in Tunisia’s leadership, according to the Saudi state news agency (SPA).
“Saudi Arabia affirms its confidence in the Tunisian leadership to overcome these circumstances and to achieve a decent life and prosperity for the brotherly Tunisian people.”
Tunisia’s economy shrank 8.6 percent last year, and another 3 percent in the first three months of this year on an annualized basis, according to government data.
Tourism, a bedrock of the economy that brings in foreign exchange, was decimated in 2020. https://t.co/nlDLrNqaW1
The Moroccan and Algerian foreign ministers, Nasser Bourita and Ramtane Lamamra, also met Saied in Tunis on Tuesday, according to the Tunisian foreign ministry.
Noureddine Bhiri, a senior Ennahdha leader, said the party had decided to campaign peacefully to defeat the president’s plans, saying national solidarity was needed.
After violent clashes on Monday, Ennahdha said organized thugs were being used to provoke bloodshed and chaos, and urged its supporters “to go home in the interests of maintaining the peace and security of our nation”.
But before any elections, “parliament should resume its activities and the military end its control,” Bhiri told the AFP news agency.
