Tunisia launches national consultation to the detriment of democratic gains

“Your opinion, our decision”: the electronic platform aimed at collecting Tunisians’ suggestions concerning the reforms proposed by the Tunisian President, Kaïs Saïed, was officially launched on Saturday 1^er January.

From 1^er January to March 20, this digital “popular consultation” on political, economic, educational or even cultural issues, should bring out ideas that will serve as a basis for constitutional amendments. A singular process which illustrates, according to his detractors, the “populist” methods of the president, elected in 2019 with nearly 73% of the vote and who continues to enjoy solid popularity.

In the midst of a political blockage, Kaïs Saïed assumed full powers on July 25, in the country which was the cradle of the Arab Spring in 2011. The president notably sacked the Prime Minister and suspended the Parliament dominated by the inspiring party. Islamist Ennahdha, his pet peeve.

On December 13, President Saïed unveiled a roadmap intended to emerge from the political crisis with a legislative election scheduled for December 2022, after revision of the electoral law, and a referendum in July 2022 to amend the Constitution, which he wants more “presidential”, to the detriment of Parliament.

But this process poses many problems, both technical and democratic.

“The country is swimming in political uncertainty even after the announcement by Kaïs Saïed of his roadmap which does not seem to reassure the partners, neither inside nor outside”, indicates political scientist Hamza Meddeb to AFP .

A contested process

While only 45% of households have an Internet connection, the electronic “popular consultation” already excludes a significant portion of Tunisians.

Interviewed by TV5Monde, Mouna Kraïem Dridi, a law teacher in Tunis and president of the Tunisian Association for Comparative Constitutional Law, doubts the effectiveness of this consultation “on a purely technological level”. Tunisian citizens have, for example, already been confronted with technical or security failures on the public Evax platform, which makes it possible to make an appointment for the vaccination against Covid-19.

To address their comments, Internet users are asked to register with their identity card by entering the portal, requesting a secret code which is sent to them by text. A device on which the local media are questioning whether or not this anonymity is respected.

“Transparency, credibility and orientation. These are the three major risks that this consultation poses for me,” denounces Mouna Kraïem Dridi.

“How are we going to draw conclusions from all the answers that will be provided? Who will do the synthesis?” Asks the teacher. “Entrusting the analysis to a committee whose composition is still unknown only discredit this operation.”

“Each operation organized without being preceded by an open dialogue, including all sections of the population and civil society, lacks legitimacy for me,” criticizes the lawyer interviewed by TV5Monde. Mouna Kraïem Dridi, who worked from late 2016 to early 2020 as legal advisor to the President of the Assembly, also deplores the lack of explanations on the presidential program.

Risk of political destabilization

These consultations begin “in the midst of socio-economic malaise with questions about freedoms”, adds political scientist Hamza Meddeb, deploring “a repression with a covered face”.

And the financial situation is not very encouraging. In the budget presented on December 28, Tunisia plans to increase its debt by an additional six billion euros to revive an economy heavily affected by the political and health crises.

“Since July 25, there is a single institution and a single person who decides the future of this country (…) and nothing suggests that there will be hope”, believes Bochra Belhaj Hmida. This famous political and human rights activist has just been sentenced to six months in prison for a complaint by a former minister dating back to 2012, a verdict whose timing calls out: it fell a few days after she publicly criticized the President Saïed.

The president, who was also a professor of constitutional law, masters the legal springs, which could lead him, according to several analysts, to arrogate to himself all the powers via the Constitution, leading the country towards a more autocratic political system if they include a large increase in presidential powers.

This probability is all the greater as the Tunisian parliament remains suspended and therefore unable to function officially. This could disrupt Tunisia’s political stability by upsetting the hard-won balance of power between the country’s executive and legislative branches.

“Slippery slope”

Other politicians and activists have been prosecuted after taking a stand against Kaïs Saïed on social networks.

On Friday, the deputy president of Ennahdha, Noureddine Bhiri, close to the historic leader of this movement, Rached Ghannouchi, was arrested outside his home. In a statement, Ennahdha denounced “a kidnapping and a dangerous precedent which marks the entry of the country into the tunnel of dictatorship”.

On December 22, former President Moncef Marzouki, living in France, was sentenced in absentia to four years in prison for having “undermined the security of the State abroad”, after having publicly criticized the Tunisian authorities .

“All these hasty trials against critical voices show that justice is unfortunately at the orders of the one who governs”, according to Hamza Meddeb.

Human Rights Watch denounced the increase since July 25 of legal proceedings targeting various opponents, which, according to HRW, are based on “repressive” laws.

The National Union of Journalists in Tunisia warned him of “an imminent danger threatening the freedom of the press, media and expression”.

Opponents of Kaïs Saïed’s coup, members of the Citizens against the coup collective, began a hunger strike on 23 December to protest against a “complete abolition of freedoms”. The group called for a boycott of the “popular consultation”.

“Tunisia is on a slippery slope and we can expect great tensions,” warns Hamza Meddeb.

With AFP