TUNIS — A veteran Tunisian opposition figure
announced Tuesday the creation of a new alliance to “save” the country from
deep crisis following President
Kais Saied’s power grab last year.
اضافة اعلان
Ahmed Nejib Chebbi, 78, a prominent left-wing
politician who opposed dictator Zine el Abidine Ben Ali’s rule, said the new
National Salvation Front aimed to unite political forces, re-establish
constitutional and democratic processes and guarantee freedoms and rights in
the country.
“We want a return to legitimacy and democracy,” he
told a news conference in the capital Tunisia.
Saied — a former law professor elected in 2019 amid
public anger against the political class — on July 25 last year sacked the
government, suspended parliament and seized wide-ranging powers.
He later gave himself powers to rule and legislate
by decree and seized control over the judiciary.
He dissolved parliament last month, dealing another
blow to the political system put in place after the
North African country’s
2011 revolution.
Chebbi opposes Saied’s moves and describes them as a
“coup”.
The new alliance comprises five political parties
including Saied’s nemesis the Islamist-inspired Ennahdha party, along with five
civil society groups involving independent political figures.
The Front’s priority is to rescue an economy ruined
by a “rotten” political system that puts off investors, Chebbi said.
It also aims to involve other political groups and
“influential” figures before launching a national dialogue on reforms to “save
the country”, he added.
Chebbi called for a “salvation government” to lead
the country during a “transition period” before new elections.
Last week Saied assigned himself the power to appoint
the head of the electoral commission, a move critics say aims to create a tame
electoral body ahead of a referendum slated for July on constitutional reforms,
and legislative elections due in December.
Last month, Saied also inaugurated a “temporary” council
of judges to replace an independent watchdog he abolished when seizing sweeping
powers over the judiciary.
Saied’s initial power grab last year was welcomed by
many Tunisians sick of the often-stalemated post-revolution political system.
But an increasing array of critics say he has moved
the country down a dangerous path back towards autocracy.
Saied has argued that the North African country’s
2014 constitution allowed him to take “exceptional measures”.
The country is
also in talks with the International Monetary Fund aimed at securing a
financial bailout.
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