Thursday 29 July 2021
More layoffs
Power struggle in Tunisia intensifies
First, Tunisia’s president deposed the head of government, now the head of the state television broadcaster Wataniya has to leave. Saïed also takes action against 460 business people. In addition to the power struggle, the corona situation is also coming to a head.
In Tunisia, the power struggle between President Kaïs Saïed and his political opponents is coming to a head: A few days after the government was ousted, Saïed exchanged the heads of other state institutions, and on Wednesday he fired the head of the state television broadcaster Wataniya. At the same time, the head of state announced an anti-corruption offensive aimed against 460 business people. Influential non-governmental organizations called for a return to parliamentary work.
Wataniya boss Laassad Dhahech was dismissed after activists and representatives of journalists’ associations were denied access to the station. The Tunisian presidency then accused Dhahech of wanting to cause unrest with this decision.
Saïed had deposed Prime Minister Hichem Mechichi on Sunday, ordered the suspension of parliamentary work and declared that he would take over the business of government together with a Prime Minister who was yet to be appointed. The President also ordered the lifting of the immunity of all MPs.
While Saïed stressed that his actions were in accordance with the constitution, the Islamist ruling party Ennahdha accused him of a “coup”. The president had made common cause “with undemocratic forces” in order to “undermine the constitutional rights of elected officials”.
Investigations against Islamist ruling party
Since Sunday, Saïed has been releasing numerous other government advisors and government officials, including the armed forces public prosecutor and the defense and justice ministers. The former law professor had previously assumed judicial power.
Tensions escalated when Tunisia’s public prosecutor said on Wednesday that it had launched an investigation into the Ennahdha party, the liberal Qalb Tounes party and the Aïch Tounsi movement on suspicion of illegal party funding. Specifically, it is about the suspicion of “funding from abroad and the acceptance of funds of unknown origin during the 2019 election campaign”.
In the evening Saïed then announced a crackdown on corruption. At a meeting with the head of the employers’ association Utica, the president denounced the “bad economic decisions” made in Tunisia over the past few years and accused a number of entrepreneurs of having “plundered public funds”.
There are 460 people who owe the state 13.5 billion dinars – around four billion euros, said Saïed, referring to the report of a commission of inquiry into corruption and embezzlement during the reign of the former Tunisian ruler Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. Saïed offered the 460 business people a legal settlement if they returned the money. This will then benefit the less developed regions of Tunisia.
Coronavirus is spreading rapidly
In view of the severe economic crisis in which Tunisia finds itself, the president called for a price reduction and a revival of phosphate production. Saïed also announced the establishment of a crisis team to deal with the corona pandemic. The corona virus is currently spreading rapidly in the North African country. The disempowerment of Mechichi by Saïed on Sunday was preceded by violent protests against the government’s corona crisis management.
Internationally, the crisis sparked concerns about democracy in Tunisia. French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian urged the appointment of a new government in Tunis on Wednesday.
Prominent Tunisian non-governmental organizations called on Saïed to present a timetable for further political steps. In a joint statement, they warned against an “unlawful” change in parliamentary work. The 30-day period permitted by the constitution must be respected.
Tunisia has long been considered a model country for the Arab Spring. However, ten years after the democratic change, the country has not found political stability. Since the overthrow of long-term ruler Ben Ali in January 2011, there have been nine governments in Tunisia, some of which have only been in power for months.
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