TUNIS — Opponents of Tunisian President
Kais Saied on
Tuesday slammed his decision to extend a months-long suspension of parliament,
accusing him of dealing another blow to the country's nascent democracy.
اضافة اعلان
Saied had on Monday vowed to press on with reforms to
Tunisia's political system, months after he sacked the government, froze the
legislature and assumed wide-ranging executive powers.
The former law professor announced an 11-week "popular
consultation" to produce "draft constitutional and other
reforms" ahead of a referendum next July 25.
That will mark one year since his power grab, which came as
the North African country was mired in political and economic crises compounded
by the coronavirus pandemic.
Saied had in October moved to rule by decree, escalating
fears for the only democracy to have emerged from the 2011 Arab uprisings.
He said on Monday that
parliament would remain suspended
until new elections on December 17 next year, the anniversary of the start of
the revolution that chased dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali from power.
That further isolated his nemesis, the Islamist-inspired
Ennahdha party, which has played a central role in Tunisian politics since Ben
Ali's fall.
Many Tunisians, tired of a system seen as dysfunctional and
corrupt, welcomed Saied's moves, but he has also faced growing opposition in
the form of demonstrations at home and pressure from abroad.
Washington, however, gave a positive response to Saied's
announcement.
"We welcome President Saied's announcement of a
timeline outlining a path for political reform and parliamentary elections and
look forward to a reform process that is transparent and inclusive of diverse
political and civil society voices," us State Department spokesman Ned
Price said.
The envoys of the
G7 powers plus the eu had urged Tunisia on
Friday to set a timetable for a return to democratic institutions.
'I am the state'
On Tuesday, political analyst Slaheddine Jourchi said Saied
was "determined to push through his political project to the end".
Opponents have accused Saied of seeking to extend his
one-man rule and unilaterally rebuild the political system.
Noureddine Taboubi, head of the powerful
UGTT trade union,
criticized the lack of a vision for tackling the country's pressing social and
economic woes.
"Until when are we going to discuss the constitution?
People today have empty stomachs and are getting poorer," he told
journalists in the industrial hub of Sfax.
In a speech to union members, he said the union had
supported Saied's July 25 moves but "we didn't give (him) a blank
check".
Yet some in Tunis welcomed Saied's latest move.
Nizar ben Ahmida, a 37-year-old teacher, stressed the
importance of announcing a timeline.
But he said the president's speech lacked details on
"employment, poverty, marginalization, and prosecution of those who have
committed crimes against this country".
Tunis resident Nidhal said the election date was too far
away.
"(Saied) is playing for time. He wants to implement his
ideas," the 35-year-old said.
'Object of ridicule'
Saied said a consultation on constitutional reforms would be
launched on January 1. These proposals would then be examined by a committee of
experts appointed by the president, before being put to referendum.
But former Ennahdha MP Samir Dilou said the idea would
"make Tunisia an object of ridicule".
"Saied's speech reflects the state of denial in which
he lives and his refusal to listen to anyone," Dilou told the daily
Assabah.
Analyst Jourchi said developments would depend on how the
public reacts.
"The street isn't reassured. The economic situation is
what concerns the Tunisian public," he said.
Tunisia faces mounting public debt, inflation, 18 percent
unemployment and stalled negotiations with the International Monetary Fund for
its fourth bailout since the revolution.
But the 63-year-old president's focus has remained firmly on
remaking the political system and tackling opponents — primarily Ennahdha —
whom he accuses of corruption.
After seizing control of the judiciary in July, he has
pushed judges to investigate alleged foreign financing for campaigns during
2019 parliamentary elections.
In Tunisia today, Jourchi said, "the big problem lies
in the fact that he is continuing to rule by decree. His political conflict
with his opponents will escalate and tensions will remain."
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