Tunisia’s Political Chaos: All You Need to Know

Over the last weekend, Tunisian President Kais Saied dissolved parliament, dismissed the prime minister, and became the country’s chief executive, in what has cast doubt over the North African Republic’s shaky democracy.

Saied summoned up article 80 of the 2014 constitution, which allows the president to take exceptional measures in times of “imminent danger threatening the nation’s institutions, security or independence.” Restrained in time, such measures, though not explicitly worded in the constitution, can only be enforced for 30 days.

Tunisia now faces two scenarios: Either business goes as usual with the normal return to parliamentary work after the end of the deadline, or the country would run on decree-laws until the holding of new legislative elections.

Support from the masses and  the lack of opposition for the country’s security forces, including the military and the police suggests that Saied will not back down on his actions. Experts predict the chaos to build up to new elections, and potentially a new constitution.

Frustrated Tunisians seeking better socio-economic conditions and blaming a failing political class for deteriorating  social and health conditions culminated in national protests on  July 25 in Tunis, Sfax, Monastir, El-Kef, Sousse and Tozeur.

The eye of the storm during the protest  were  headquarters of the Ennahda party, where protesters barged in, destroyed equipment and called for the ousting of the party’s leader and Parliament speaker, Rached Ghannouchi. 

Ennahda, originally inspired from Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood fell short off of the favor of  an already suspicious Tunisian public during the COVID-19 crisis.

The spokesperson for the Tunis Court of First Instance Mohsen Dali told Tunisian media on  July 28 that the judicial pole opened an investigation against Ennahdha for suspicions of ‘contracting pressure groups, lobbying and on obtaining illegal foreign funding.”

 Having driven off Elyes Fakhfakh as prime minister in July 2020 due to  a corruption scandal, Ennahda’s backed Hichem Mechichi took over the Prime Minister role and rolled over from crisis to crisis.

The country which had declared a zero-case in May 2020 is now recording a daily death toll of 100 people, its hospitals are overcrowded and under-resourced and consistently struggled to get the necessary vaccine doses under Mechichi’s government.The Country had received only the sixth of the number of doses promised under the Covax Covid-19 vaccines scheme aimed at  lower-income countries.

The dismissed Mechichi said he will hand the responsibility to the President’s next choice. 

 “In order to preserve the safety of all Tunisians, I declare that I align myself, as I have always, by the side of our people, and declare that I will not take up any position or responsibility in the state,” he said on his Facebook page.

The Superior Council of Youth, claiming to be affiliated with the July 25 movement, announced a demonstration next Saturday to prevent the return of the former system through any national dialogue.

One of Ennahda’s leaders, Noureddine Bhiri said his party and several blocs, parties and national organizations will contend Saied’s decision, “peacefully and will avoid dragging the country towards violence.”

He said a democratic regime does not grant the President of the Republic any right over the judiciary. 

The international community adopted a wait and see strategy over Tunisia’s political storm, with the US, the EU and Germany calling for order and calm.

“We are in touch at a senior level from both the White House and the State Department with Tunisian leaders to learn more about the situation,” said White House spokesperson Jen Psaki.

The UN called on Tunisia “to exercise restraint, refrain from violence and ensure that the situation remains calm.” 

Meanwhile, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian called for the ‘rapid’ appointment of a prime minister and the formation of a government.