Tunisia: President Kaïs Saïed suspends Parliament and dismisses Prime Minister Hichem Mechichi

Published on : 07/25/2021 – 23:20

Tunisian President Kaïs Saïed announced on Sunday July 25 that he was freezing the activities of Parliament, and dismissing the head of government Hichem Mechichi from office, after a day of demonstrations against Tunisian leaders.

Horns sounded in the streets of Tunis shortly after this announcement. It follows protests in many cities across the country on Sunday, despite a large police deployment to limit movement. The protesters notably demanded the “dissolution of Parliament”.

Kaïs Saïed announced these decisions after an emergency meeting at the Carthage Palace, as Tunisia faces a peak in the coronavirus epidemic, and a deep political crisis between Kaïs Saïed and the main parliamentary party Ennahdha.

“The Constitution does not allow the dissolution of Parliament but it allows the freezing of its activities”, he declared, relying on article 80 which allows this type of measure in the event of “imminent danger”.

Parliamentary immunity lifted

Kaïs Saïed announced that he was in charge of the executive power, with “the help of the government” which will be headed by a new chief appointed by the President of the Republic. He also announced that the parliamentary immunity of deputies was lifted.

Several thousand Tunisians demonstrated on Sunday against their leaders, in particular against the Islamist formation Ennahdha. They notably shouted slogans hostile to this formation and to the Prime Minister it supports, Hichem Mechichi, chanting “the people want the dissolution of Parliament”. “Regime change” was also written on signs. The premises and symbols of Ennahdha were targeted.

Calls to demonstrate on July 25, the feast of the Republic, had been circulating for several days on Facebook, from unidentified groups. They demanded, among other things, a change in the Constitution and a transitional period leaving a large place for the army, while maintaining President Saïed at the head of state.

With AFP