TUNIS— Tunisian President Kais Saied has extended his suspension of
parliament "until further notice", a month after sacking his premier
and granting himself greater powers in a shock intervention opponents decried
as a coup.
اضافة اعلان
"Parliament is a danger to the state," he said on Tuesday during a
meeting with Trade Minister Mohamed Bousaid.
"The existing political institutions and how they operate represent a
persistent danger to the state."
A statement from the presidency late Monday extended an order freezing
immunity for lawmakers and said Saied would address the people in the coming
days, without elaborating.
Tunisia, hailed as a rare democratic success story in the Middle East and
North Africa, has been mired in political crisis since Saied's intervention,
which comes as the country struggles with dire economic woes and the COVID-19
pandemic.
On July 25, Saied invoked the constitution to extend his authority,
dismissing the head of government Hichem Mechichi and freezing parliament in
what activists have called a "purge" that has seen opponents, judges,
and businessmen arrested or banned from travel.
Saied issued "a presidential decree extending the exceptional measures
... regarding the
suspension of Parliament and lifting of the parliamentary
immunity of its MPs until further notice", the presidency statement said.
Last month's intervention, which Saied said was necessary to prevent the
country from collapse, sparked uncertainty for the North African nation.
He has yet to appoint a new government or reveal a "roadmap" for
his decisions despite repeated demands by political parties.
While the president enjoys widespread popularity at home, his move sparked
fears internationally that the cradle of the 2011 Arab Spring is regressing
towards authoritarianism.
Analysts expect Saied will announce new measures to reassure Tunisians and
the international community about his decisions.
Political scientist Slaheddine Jourchi told AFP the president's decision had
been expected.
He said Saied wants to show "that he is not in a rush".
But his move also "prepares the ground for measures which could be more
radical" such as "freezing or abolishing the constitution and
dissolving parliament," Jourchi said.
"It has become clearer than ever that the president does not want
anyone other than himself in power," he added.
The intervention has faced condemnation from judges and Saied's opponents,
in particular the Islamist-inspired Ennahdha party, the largest bloc in
parliament.
Several politicians, businessmen, and judges, as well as members of
parliament — who lost their immunity after Saied suspended the legislature —
have said they have been banned from traveling abroad or put under house arrest
without warning.
Their claims have sparked a chorus of condemnation, with critics denouncing
"arbitrary" and "unjustified" measures.
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