TUNIS, Tunisia (AFP) — Street clashes erupted on Monday
outside Tunisia's army-barricaded parliament, a day after
President KaisSaied ousted the prime minister and suspended the legislature, plunging the
young democracy into a constitutional crisis.
اضافة اعلان
Saied sacked Prime Minister Hichem Mechichi and ordered
parliament closed for 30 days, a move the biggest political party Ennahdha
decried as a "coup", following a day of angry street protests against
the government's handling of the
Covid pandemic.
Soldiers from early Monday blockaded the assembly in Tunis
while, outside, the president's supporters hurled volleys and stones at backers
of Ennahdha, whose leader staged a sit-in to protest being barred entry.
Saied's dramatic move — a decade on from Tunisia's 2011
revolution, often held up as the Arab Spring's sole success story — comes even
though the constitution enshrines a parliamentary democracy and largely limits
presidential powers to security and diplomacy.
It "is a coup d'etat against the revolution and against
the constitution," Ennahdha, which was the biggest party in Tunisia's
ruling coalition, charged in a Facebook post, warning that its members
"will defend the revolution".
The crisis follows prolonged deadlock between the president,
the premier and Ennahdha chief Rached Ghannouchi, which has crippled the
Covid response as deaths have surged to one of the world's highest per capita
rates.
"I have taken the necessary decisions to save Tunisia,
the state and the Tunisian people," Saied declared in a statement on
Sunday, a day that had seen angry COVID street protests in multiple cities.
The president's announcement sparked jubilant rallies by his
supporters. Large crowds took to the streets of the capital late Sunday to
celebrate and wave the national flag, as car horns sounded through the night
and fireworks lit up the sky.
"Finally some good decisions!" said one Tunis
protester, Maher, celebrating in defiance of a coronavirus curfew. Others held
up signs with a simple message to the sacked government: "Game Over".
'Most delicate moments'
Before the president's announcement, thousands had marched
in several cities protesting against Ennahdha, criticizing the largest party in
Tunisia's fractious government for failures in tackling the pandemic.
A senior Ennahdha official, speaking to AFP on condition of
anonymity, alleged that the protests before the president's announcement, and
the subsequent celebrations, had all been choreographed by Saied.
"We are also capable of organizing large demonstrations
to show the number of Tunisians who are opposed to these decisions," this
official said.
Since Saied was elected president in 2019, he has been
locked in a showdown with Mechichi and Ghannouchi, who is also house speaker.
The rivalry has blocked ministerial appointments and diverted resources from
tackling Tunisia's many economic and social problems.
"We are navigating the most delicate moments in the
history of Tunisia,"
Saied said Sunday.
He said the constitution did not allow for the dissolution
of parliament, but did allow him to suspend it, citing Article 80 which permits
it in case of "imminent danger".
In a later Facebook post, he clarified that the suspension
would be for 30 days.
Saied said he would take over executive power "with the
help" of a government, whose new chief will be appointed by the president
himself.
He also said that parliamentary immunity would be lifted for
deputies.
'Birth of a dictator'
In the 10 years since the revolution which toppled dictator
Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, Tunisia has had nine governments, some of which have
lasted only a few months, hindering the reforms necessary to revamp its
struggling economy and poor public services.
Tunisia has recently been overwhelmed by Covid-19 cases
which have raised the death toll to more than 18,000.
Last week, Mechichi fired his health minister over his
handling of the pandemic as cases skyrocketed -- the latest in a string of
health ministers to be sacked.
In Sunday's COVID protests, hundreds rallied in front of
parliament, shouting slogans against Ennahdha and premier Mechichi.
Demonstrations were also reported in the towns
of Gafsa, Kairouan, Monastir, Sousse and Tozeur.
Several protesters were arrested and a journalist was
injured when people hurled stones and police fired tear gas canisters, an AFP reporter
said.
"The people want the dissolution of parliament,"
the crowd had chanted.
After Saied's announcement, many Tunisians expressed relief.
Nahla, brandishing a Tunisian flag, was jubilant and told
AFP: "These are courageous decisions — Saied is unblocking Tunisia. This
is the president we love!"
But one man, aged in his forties, watched on without
enthusiasm and said: "These fools are celebrating the birth of a new
dictator."
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