Kais Saied tightens his grip. The Tunisian president announced on Wednesday the dissolution of Parliament, eight months after having suspended it to assume full powers in July 2021.
The leader made the announcement during a meeting of the “National Security Council” which he chaired, hours after MPs defied the suspension of parliament by holding a virtual session, during which they voted for cancel the exceptional measures since decided by the president.
“I am announcing today at this historic moment the dissolution of the Assembly of People’s Representatives to preserve the state and its institutions and to preserve the Tunisian people,” said Kais Saied in a video released by the presidency.
After months of political blockage, Kais Saied, elected at the end of 2019, assumed full powers on July 25 by dismissing the Prime Minister and suspending the Parliament dominated by the Islamist-inspired party Ennahdha, his pet peeve.
On September 22, the Head of State formalized his full powers through “exceptional measures” which extend the suspension of Parliament. They also allow him to legislate by decree, to preside over the Council of Ministers and to amend laws.
MPs defy suspension of parliament
120 Tunisian deputies defied the suspension of Parliament on Wednesday by organizing a virtual session during which they voted to cancel the exceptional measures decided by Kais Saied since July 25. At the call of the Office of the Assembly of People’s Representatives (ARP), a body which brings together the Presidency of Parliament and representatives of the parties sitting there, 120 deputies (out of a total of 217) participated in this online plenary , chaired by Tarek Fertiti, Deputy Speaker of Parliament, an independent. The president of the ARP, Rached Ghannouchi, also leader of the Ennahdha party, did not take part in this plenary session.
116 deputies voted in favor of a bill aimed at reversing the exceptional measures taken by the Tunisian president, which they say are blocking the democratic process and establishing one-man power in the country, the cradle of the Arab Spring. The deputies, including elected members of Ennahdha and independents, also called for the organization of early legislative and presidential elections to get out of the political and socio-economic crisis.