Thousands of Tunisians came out on the streets on Sunday, the 66th anniversary of Tunisia’s Independence Day, to protest against President Kais Saied and his online public poll on proposed constitutional reforms reported The Guardian.
The protest was organized by the Islamist-inspired Ennahdha party and a movement named “Citizens Against the Coup”. The protesters marched near the parliament in central Tunis chanting against Saied’s measures and accused him of monopolizing power. The security forces sealed off nearby Bardo Square and entrances leading to it to prevent protesters from gathering there.
In July last year, President Saied suspended parliament and sacked the prime minister, before further expanding his legislative and executive powers and suspending some parts of the constitution. The move has been widely labeled as a constitutional coup by the Tunisian opposition.
Saied also shut down the country’s independent National Anti-Corruption Authority and sidelined the Independent High Authority for Elections. Last month, he dissolved the Supreme Judicial Council – the body that deals with judicial independence – and granted himself control over the selection and promotion of judges.
Furthermore, the president launched an online public consultation before drafting a new constitution that he said will be put to a referendum in July 2022, followed by parliamentary elections in December.
According to official statistics, the online consultation poll, which was launched in January, closed on Sunday, with only 508,000 Tunisians, less than 10 percent of the seven million electorates taking part.
The results of the poll are due to be presented to a Saied-appointed committee of experts, who will be tasked with drafting the constitution. A referendum on the constitutional reforms is scheduled for July, exactly a year after his power grab.
“We will not accept the results of the consultation, this is a scam against the people”, said Samira Chaouachi, vice-president of the suspended Tunisian parliament.
